Not Such a Good Game
by Lee1597
Summary: AU: What if Katniss loves Peeta? But Peeta has a girlfriend. What will happen if they are both reaped? Will they still be the star-crossed lovers of District 12? Hope you will like it. Please R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N): I looked at a bunch of fanfiction, but I've never really seen something like this. So I tried to see what it would be like if Peeta never loved Katniss, and it was the other way around. Yes, I know that there are stories like that, but I added something. What if Peeta was still a merchant and had a girlfriend, while Katniss loved Peeta and was still from the Seam? Hope you guys like it :)**

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The rare sun of District twelve shone through the widely opened windows of Katniss' room. Snuggled right next to her was Prim, her sister of whom she loves. She must've crawled in after a nightmare. Prim's nightmares were now regular occurrence; for this is her first reaping year. Every night, she sees a vision of her getting picked out by the bubbly Effie Trinket at the 74th annual hunger games reaping. It's no wonder that she's scared. The day that everybody has been dreading is today. The Reaping.

Just then, Prim shrieks. Katniss immediately woke up and shook her slightly to wake her from her frightening dream. Prim woke up with a cold sweat and stared at Katniss.

"It's me. She picked me," said Prim, scared.

"She's not going to pick you. Your name is only in there once," Katniss assured her immediately. The odds were definitely in Prim's favour. With one slips out of a thousand, even the luckiest man in the world won't be able to pick her from there.

"I have to go, I have to hunt," Katniss whispered to Prim.

"Wait, don't go," said Prim, holding her hand. "Can you sing to me?" asked Prim. Katniss hasn't sung for a long time. Not since the first day of her school when she sang the valley song in front of her class. Not since her father died. That's definitely it. When her father died, Katniss wouldn't sing for anything. It reminds her too much of her late father who died in the coal mines five years ago.

"Of course," Katniss responded and started to sing. "Deep in the meadow..." Katniss sang as Prim smiled, not her usual smile, but still a smile. When Katniss finished, she kissed Prim's forehead and hugged her before heading off into the forest to hunt.

So far she's caught three squirrels, two rabbits, and spotted a deer. Not her usual haul, but it will still feed her family. Katniss went through the forest and in the span of an hour; she has managed to catch two more squirrels, and a fat rabbit. Katniss was sitting by a meadow eating a few berries she's gathered, until her silence is broken by her hunting partner.

"Hey Catnip," said Gale.

"Hey," Katniss responded, uninterested.

"Hey look what I got," said Gale, pulling out a loaf of bread from his knapsack. Katniss was shocked. Sure she eats bread from her tesserae grain, but she has had barely enough money for a loaf of bread. She just usually trades it for squirrels.

"Is that bread? Real bread?" said Katniss, taking the bread and inhaling it.

"Better be, the baker was very generous today," said Gale.

"Here," said Katniss who was taking a package from her bag. "Prim wanted to give it, for the reaping"

"Thanks, c'mon, let's eat it," said Gale.

They ate in comfortable silence. The goat cheese just practically melts in their mouths together with the bread. Such delicacies, they can only afford with the reaping coming up. She doesn't even want to think about it. Her name's in there a lot of times, due to the fact that they lived in an impoverished country called Panem, and that they live in the poorest part of that country. A barren land called district twelve, where you can die easily die of hunger.

"How many times is your name in today?" Katniss asks Gale.

"Forty-two," Gale paused. "Well, technically, the odds aren't really in my favour. How about you?" Gale asked.

"Twenty, I guess the odds aren't really in our favour is it?" Katniss asked rhetorically.

They finished up the rest of the berries and the bread with goat cheese and scurried off to the un-electrified fence of district twelve. They shared the haul equally after checking out the snares, before Katniss went to the hob to trade.

"I think I'll trade these squirrels for Mr. Mellark," said Katniss looking at her two squirrels.

"Oh please," Gale scoffed. "You only want to see bread boy,"

"So what? Besides, I still need bread. Me, Prim, and mom ate the last of it yesterday," said Katniss defensively.

"I told you. Just quit your obsession with that boy. He has a girlfriend. Don't be one of those girls who're head over heels for a guy. He's not worth it," said Gale, annoyed as far as Katniss can tell.

"It's not an obsession. I just never got to thank him for the bread. Remember before? I told you, I can't stop owing him," said Katniss. "It's always the first one that's hard to repay, and that bread saved me, Prim, and my mother's lives. Gale."

"Well, there's plenty of fish in the sea. I see your name in the bathroom stalls in school a lot. There are plenty of other guys in school," Gale paused and continued. "I need to go. I have to prepare for the reaping. Wear something pretty? okay," said Gale as he walked off. Katniss shook her head at the thought. Wear something pretty? She's never worn anything pretty ever since that first day of school.

Katniss walked through the hob trading a few rabbits and a squirrel for some cloth, salt, and oil. The cloth was for the patches on her clothes, the salt for some iodine in their systems, and oil for cooking their dirt-poor meals. She walked to the back of the bakery to see Mr. Mellark and his son drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. Good. There's no witch in sight. Katniss knocked lightly on the door, when it opened she saw the clear-blue eyes of Peeta Mellark. Peeta saw Katniss and turned his head.

"Dad, Katniss is here," said Peeta as he walked away. She wished he didn't look away. She wished that he just stayed there. Mr. Mellark went to see Katniss at the back and looked at her.

"Yes Katniss, how many would you trade?" Mr. Mellark's voice was clear and gentle.

"About five," said Katniss proudly. She doesn't usually catch this much. Only about three a day.

"Wow, impressive," he said. "Peeta," he said turning his attention to the boy. "Get me five loaves of bread from the counter,"

"Okay dad, but I got to meet Christine before the reaping," Peeta said as he took the loaves, and gave them to his father. Katniss felt her heart sink. Christine is his girlfriend. She's really pretty with her black hair, brown-eyes, and slender figure. Plus, she's from the merchants, so she had a huge chance that Peeta will like her. And he did, and in the process, hurting Katniss.

"Here you go, Katniss," Mr. Mellark said exchanging the bread for the squirrels. "Good luck later," he said as he walked through the door. Katniss walked through the edge of Seam, the poor part of District twelve, to her home, where she saw Prim wearing a beautiful blue dress, and her hair in a braid. Katniss smiled at the sight of her sister. She loves her more than anything in the world. She's the only reason Katniss hunts illegally, and struggles to live.

"You look beautiful, little duck," said Katniss as she walked to her sister. Prim was still nervous of the reaping. Who could blame her? It's her first year. You'll always be nervous.

"I'm scared," Prim admitted to her sister. Katniss hugged Prim.

"Don't be. Your name's only in there once. They're not going to pick you," Katniss assured her.

"I've got your bath ready," Katniss stood up and turned around to see her mother.

"Thanks," said Katniss as she went to the bath. Katniss never really had a good relationship with her mother. She was never close to her as Prim was, even as a child. When her father died, it seemed like her mother went along with him. She was never the same. She let Katniss and Prim to die on their own, but luckily they survived, when Katniss started to hunt. After Katniss took a bath, she looked at her dress that was laid out in front of her. It was a beautiful and extravagant blue dress that her mother used to wear when she was a merchant. Katniss wore it and went down to see her sister, still, with a scared emotion. Katniss walked to her sister and hugged her with Prim snuggling her head under Katniss' chin.

"Don't be scared, they won't pick you," Katniss repeated like a mantra. It started to feel like a mantra. She reminded Prim that she won't get pick, that there's a million to one, she's only twelve, stuff like that until she finally calmed down enough to eat their breakfast of bread with a spread of goat cheese.

They walked to the reaping square and walked towards the girl's line. Katniss assured Prim that she won't get hurt, they'll only take a small amount of blood and that's it. When they got through the girl's line, they went to their specific age groups. Katniss lead Prim to hers as Katniss went to her circle of sixteen year old girls. Even in the reaping, their district is divided into two. The Seam people and the Merchant people. They were quiet and solemn because they know deep in their hearts that one them in that square is leaving them for good. Katniss looked around and saw Gale at the eighteen year olds who gave a her a reassuring nod, in which she reciprocates. She looks around more and settles her eyes on the blue-eyed boy, with blond hair talking to his group of friends. Katniss was interrupted by her thoughts when the flamboyant Effie Trinket walked up the stage with her silly pink wig and overly-extravagant make-up.

"Welcome, welcome," Effie says like it's a holiday. "To select a young man and woman, for the nobility of representing district twelve, for the 74th annual hunger games," Effie continues. "But, before we start, We have a short video for you, right from the Capitol," says Effie gesturing her hand to the screen. It's the usual stuff. How the rebellion started, how the hunger games were initialized, how they were 'protecting' us. It's all a load of bull. Everyone can see that the Capitol oppressed us. Everyone's just scared to rebel in fear of dying. Katniss was interrupted from her thoughts by Effie Trinket who looked as if she's memorized the video like the back of her hand. When the video finished, she started.

"Now, let's start, with the girls," said Effie as she walked towards the reaping ball. Not me or Prim. Not me or Prim. Katniss repeats in her head like a mantra. Effie got a slip and walked to the mic. Not me or Prim. Not me or Prim. That's when she spoke in a clear, shrilly voice, the name I have never wanted to hear.

"Primrose Everdeen," said Effie. Katniss looked at Prim, who became as pale as a ghost. It can't be. Her name's only in there once. She's only twelve. Those thoughts rang in her head. She can't believe it. And without even noticing it, she's walking towards the stage. She ran in the middle to get to her sister, when she was restrained by the peacekeepers.

"Prim!" Katniss shouted gathering the attention of Prim. She looked at Katniss who was trying to fight of the guards, and before she knows it, there are two words that are suicidal in the reaping.

"I volunteer!" Katniss exclaimed as the guards let go of her. She immediately ran to Prim and hugged her.

"Well, District twelve has a volunteer!" said Effie in her shrill voice. "Now c'mon now," she said gesturing for Katniss to walk through the stage. Katniss tried to go, but Prim restrained her.

"Katniss don't go!" said Prim, who was pleading and crying.

"Prim, let go," said Katniss firmly, not wanting to seem weak. Just then, Katniss felt a weight lifted off of her torso. Katniss looked behind her to see Gale.

"Go ahead, Catnip" said Gale as he pulled Prim to her mother. Katniss walked up to the stage and was warmly 'welcomed' by Effie Trinket. Katniss saw as the people of district twelve placed their three fingers into their lips and held them out to her. It's a sign of respect district twelve gave.

"Hey hey! Look at this one," said a drunken Haymitch Abernathy, the only living victor left in District twelve. He place an arm on her shoulder and spoke up. "I like this one. She has a lot of..." He pauses, thinking of the right words. "Spunk. More than you," he pointed at Effie. "And especially more than you!" He shouted and pointed at the camera before throwing up and falling down the stage, only to be escorted by the peacekeepers somewhere else.

"Now, now, for the boys," said Effie, acting like nothing happened, as she walked frivolously towards the boy's bowl. Not Peeta or Gale. Not Peeta or Gale. She said to herself as a mantra as Effie walked towards the mic, opening the slip of paper.

"Peeta Mellark," said Effie. Katniss mentally kicked herself. Why is it that whenever she says that, something bad happens? Katniss thought. Why did the person she loved have to go there? It breaks her heart. She guesses that the odds are never really in her favour. Peeta walked up the stage as pale as an apparition. The mayor then walked up to say the Treaty of Treason and all of that junk and Effie told me and Peeta to shake hands. Until we are escorted to the Justice building to say goodbye to our families. I can't believe it, Katniss thought. She's going to go to the hunger games with the man she loves.

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**(A/N): That concludes Chapter 1, sorry if it's a bit short-ish. Hope you like it Please review :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N): So, here's chapter 2. It was kind of hard to write this chapter, so I hope you guys like it.**

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Katniss and Peeta were ushered by Effie and a couple of peacekeepers towards the justice building. Katniss has been here a few times. First time, when she received the compensation from her father's death. The rest of the time was when she will go during the eight of every month to take grain and oil from them in exchange for three slips in the reaping bowl. On the other hand, Peeta has never been in here. He has never had a reason to sign up for tesserae or any of his siblings dying in a mine accident.

They were brought inside two separate rooms across the corner in a hallway, with two peacekeeper's guarding the door, apiece. When Katniss got into her room, the waterworks came. She can't believe it. She's going into the Hunger Games with the guy she's loved for the span of five years. It's a lot to take in. Her sister and the boy she loves being reaped. What are the odds?

The door of the room swung open as Prim and her mother went to Katniss and wrapped their arms around her.

"You didn't have to volunteer, for me," said Prim grimly. Actually, she did. Prim wouldn't last the bloodbath. The twelve year olds are always the first ones to go.

"It's okay," is all Katniss can manage to say. They stay in silence for a while as Katniss stood up facing their mother.

"You can't fade out again. You need to be there for her. No matter what you feel or see when I'm in there, you have to be there for her, understand?" said Katniss firmly as her mother nodded.

"I promise," Mrs. Everdeen said as Katniss hugged her. After she hugged her, she crouched down to Prim's height and talked.

"Listen, you won't take any extra food from them, it isn't worth putting your name in, promise me," said Katniss to Prim.

"I promise, but Katniss. I know you love him. I can see the way you look at him. You look at him like the way you look at me and mother, but please, try to go home for me. Please," said Prim, in tears.

"I'll try—" Prim cut her off.

"No! You promise, please. Do everything you can to get back to me, please promise it," Prim begged.

"I promise," said Katniss as she hugged her mother and Prim in what could be their last embrace. How can she do it? What'll happen if she and Peeta are the last ones left? Will she have the courage to kill him for Prim? Katniss thought until a voice inside her head said 'No, you can't' in which Katniss just convulsed in tears.

"Time's up," said a peacekeeper as he dragged Prim and mother away with a sad look on his face. I looked into his eyes and immediately saw a familiar face. He's a main client in the Hob. He always trades with Katniss for her sugar berries and sometimes for her rabbits. Katniss remembers when he gave her enough money to last for a month for the antlers of a buck. Katniss saw his pained expression and quickly turned away. No. I need to be strong. Maybe someone else will kill him. Katniss thought. There are twenty-two other people out there. She thought even more. She quickly drops the thoughts and decided it's too brutal; too painful for her to bear. Katniss understands but she decides that no matter what happens, Peeta will win. Gale can help her family. Prim can sell her goat cheese. Her mother can give remedies and transcriptions. Maybe her mother can straighten up and look for a job. There's only one thing in Katniss' mind as the door opens. Peeta has to live.

"Catnip," Gale whispered as he took Katniss in his arms. "Listen, you know how to hunt. Show them how good you are, you can do this," he said, taking a hold of Katniss' shoulders and looked at her deep-grey eyes.

"I'll try," Katniss manages to blurt out.

"You're a terrible liar, Katniss. Don't let your little school girl crush cloud your judgement," said Gale.

"But it's not just a crush, Gale!" Katniss shouted. She feels anger as Gale took her again.

"I'm sorry. Just try please," Gale pleaded. "Do it for your family," Gale continued as the peacekeepers yelled that time's up. When he was being escorted, Katniss took his wrist and hugged him.

"Please Gale, don't let them starve," Gale nodded and Katniss knew that she can rely on him.

Who else would visit her? Nobody else is close to her? She was shocked when the door opened and saw her school friend Madge who immediately hugged her.

"They let you wear one thing in the arena, something to remind you of home. Will you please wear this?" Madge handed out a mockingjay pin Katniss saw on her awhile ago at the reaping.

"Madge, I can't," said Katniss. It was too much Katniss thought.

"No I insist," She pauses and took her in a hug, "Please Katniss, you're the only true friend I have. Please take it," said Madge and Katniss accepted it.

"Thank you, Madge," said Katniss.

"Please try to win, and I'll help feed your family until you come back, okay?" said Madge, looking at me with expecting eyes. When I don't respond she continues, "I know you love him, Katniss. But think about the people you love who're relying on you. Think about your sister, your mother, Gale... me" Madge continues, "You're my best friend, Katniss. Please come home." Madge pleaded.

"I will. I'll try," said Katniss with no conviction in her voice. When Madge left, she sat down and cried. She was torn. She loves Peeta, but her family and a lot of her loved ones are depending on her. In Katniss' frustration, she took a lamp from the table and threw it across the room landing in a large splatter. They can't arrest me now that I'm a tribute. Katniss thought. Nobody else knows her that much so she was shocked when a man who she did not expect came in. Mr. Mellark.

"Here, some cookies," he offered. "Please try to win. I know it's morbid for me to ask that. I love my son, but I want you to know that I've always treated you like a daughter, you and Prim. That's why I'll help your sister be fed. I won't let them starve I promise," he said as he hugged Katniss. She was shocked big time. Why would he bet on her? When his son is in danger? The door swung open as she was escorted by the peacekeepers towards outside the Justice building, to see that the bright sunlight she saw, only a few moments ago, were now replaced by the smoke that comes from the coal-mining district. They were lead towards the train as Effie explained some important things in which Katniss just ignored. She doesn't want to see those sad blue eyes of Peeta. It hurts her too much. She's torn between picking him, a person she's loved for saving her life, or her family. It's just too much! Katniss thought as they were escorted to the train. When they got into the train, Katniss looked at one last peek of district twelve, her home. With its dark sky, flat ground, and her family, she imprints in her mind that this may be the last time she sees her district.

Effie escorted them inside the train and Katniss' jaw made it wide open. Wide ceilings, red, plush chairs on the far end of the room facing a huge TV, a great long wooden table stretching out from half the cart to the near end of the cart. Katniss couldn't help but hate the Capitol even more. With them selling this, they can feed a lot of people from the Seam, yet they say that the country is poor. That's a load of bull; everything we do just goes to them.

Effie leads us towards our rooms and my mouth opened a bit wider, if that's even possible. The room was bigger than her entire house. She went in and immediately rested on the bed and held the pillows. It's so soft, unlike the ones they have at home. While lying down, her thoughts waved around in her head. She thought of Prim and her mother in the meadow, being happy. She thought of those times he hunted with Gale. She thought of those times when Madge would sit with her when no one would. She then brought her head to Peeta. What's he thinking? He looked pretty heartbroken when I saw him at the car. What happened in there? Katniss then shook her head and took a shower. The shower was confusing. It had all those buttons in it. Scents, shampoos, water temperature, anything you can think of in a shower, it's there. There's even a rubber ducky function. Wow these Capitol people are annoying. She walked to a mat after her shower and pressed a small blue button which sent an electric shock in her body, drying her immediately, and untangling her hair in the process. She changed her clothes and went to sleep.

"Up, up, up, Katniss. Meet us in the dinner lounge in five minutes," said an annoying shrill voice. Much to Katniss' dismay, she has to go, to see the competition and get advice from their only living victor, Haymitch Abernathy the drunk who's probably never seen sunlight in years. She walked towards the lounge to see Effie on the chair while Peeta and Haymitch are deep in conversation at the table. She went to the table and sat on the opposite end of Peeta.

"Nice of you to finally join us," said Haymitch, with his usual drunk voice.

"He was just giving some advice on how to find food," said Peeta looking at Katniss who avoided his gaze.

"That is if you're still alive," Haymitch mocked, as he reached for some bread. Katniss felt an immediate surge of anger. There has to be a victor this year and he's doing nothing! Katniss thought.

"That's mahogany!" Katniss heard. She looked at the table and saw a knife in between the fingers of Haymitch who's face is in shock together with Peeta's.

"You're supposed to try to help us win," said Katniss, angrily.

"Let's make a deal then since I got a pair of fighters this year. Needless to say, that boy even tried to take away my cup causing his small bruise over there," Haymitch gestured to Peeta who looked down. "My offer is, I'll remain sober enough to mentor you, if and only if, you do everything I say and do not, in anyway, mess with my drinking," Haymitch finished. Katniss and Peeta just nodded. What do they expect? That's what they get for trusting a drunkard like him. They talked about advices for awhile. Turns out, Haymitch is pretty intelligent under his tough and drunk exterior.

"The reapings are showing!"Effie squealed and Haymitch just snorted. How can anyone be happy about watching people who'll die in a few days, yet again, she's going to have to look at her competition if one of them is to win.

She looked at her competition. The boy volunteer from one who looks naive but tall and strong. The beautiful volunteer also from one. The brutish barbarian from two. The intimidating girl from two. The smile the girl from five got when she was reaped. She kinda reminds her of a fox she saw on the woods once. The boy from eleven who could easily be part of the careers, and the girl also from eleven who was just as old as Prim. It breaks Katniss' heart knowing that she's going to have to die for twelve to have a victor this year. This then turns out to their reaping. Katniss volunteering, Peeta being reaped, everything. Katniss can't help but feel a pang of pain in her chest as she sees their reaping.

"You stood out, Katniss!" Effie squealed. "I can see it now! Lines of sponsor, waiting for you as the volunteer from the outline district. Oh this is going to be so exciting," she said as she left the room.

"Thank goodness she's gone," Haymitch sighed. "Don't mind her, she's really like that. Annoying right?" he asked rhetorically and the three of them laughed.

After the reapings were shown, Katniss went back to her room to be alone. How is she going to do this? Damn! Why does life have to be so hard? Katniss noticed the pack of cookies on her desk. Why did his father give this, when he could've given it to his son? Why didn't he just give it to Primrose? She is more approachable. These thoughts clouded Katniss' mind, and without her even knowing it, she was walking through the hallways. She was passing by the hallways when she heard a soft sob from a doorway. Who's this? Peeta?

"Hello," said Katniss as she knocked on the door.

"Oh hello Katniss," said Peeta, looking up at Katniss. Katniss looked saw his tear-stricken face with red cheeks and red eyes. He was crying, that proves it.

"Why are you crying?" Katniss asked, sitting beside Peeta in his bed.

"It's nothing. It's nothing," he denied.

"You're crying. That's something," said Katniss.

"Okay," he paused. "Christine broke up with me. She said that if I died, she doesn't want to be attached to me. The worst part is, I knew that she was cheating on me with somebody else. I should've known when I saw her flirting with that boy in Hob" he said. Christine broke up with him? So that's why his eyes were red.

"Oh," is all that she can say.

"Dinner time!" said Effie through the open frame of the door. Katniss walked through the door and took one last look at him.

"Are you going to be okay?" Katniss asks sweetly.

"Yeah, I'll be there in five," said Peeta.

Dinner was utterly boring. The only thing that interested Katniss, other than the amazing seats, tables, and lights, was the lamb stew. She was about to take her fifth serving until Haymitch stopped her.

"The food here is really rich. You wouldn't want to get sick before we get to the Capitol tomorrow," said Haymitch. He was a bit sober today. Maybe he will really take this seriously. Who knows? It is the first time I've seen him eat. We walk back to our rooms until I was stopped by Peeta.

"T-t-thanks for a while ago, no one really comfort me like that," Peeta stammered. Why did he stammer?

"It's okay, I did that with Prim a few days from the reaping," said Katniss as she walked through the door and smiled. She made him stammer. She made him nervous. That means something, to Katniss. And for the first time in awhile, she was able to get a good night's sleep.

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**(A/N): That's it. Uh it's really hard to write this story, because I don't know how to shape it into a good one. Hmm. Any comments? Suggestions? Anything you'd like to say? Leave a review for me**


	3. Chapter 3

**(A/N): Okay, sorry for the late update, and thank you to those who reviewed, story alerted, and placed this story on their favorite stories. I really appreciated it and that's why I still tried my best to make this a great chapter. Thanks :)**

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**Katniss POV**

I woke up through the cracks of dawn and struggle to gain composure. Where am I? Then I realized, I was in a train headed for the Capitol to compete in the Hunger Games. I also remember that I'm in it with Peeta. Why can't my life ever be simple?

"Up up up, we're nearing the Capitol," said a high-pitched voice coming from the door, which can only be owned by the over-ecstatic Effie Trinket. I heard her heels clacking in the hallway, and I got up, took a shower, and went to the dining area to get some food into my system. I walk to the dining cart to see Peeta and Haymitch deep in conversation, while Effie is in the sofa, doing her make-up on her nearly silver-coloured face.

"Hey sweetheart, how're you doing," says Haymitch who wasn't as drunk as he was yesterday, before dinner.

"Fine, what're you guys doing?" I ask, taking a glance at the blue-eyes of Peeta.

"He was just telling me some survival skills. You know, on how to find shelter and stuff," Peeta said.

"Which will only be useful, if you are still alive, so listen to everything I tell you to," he pauses, putting some honey on his bread. "We'll be in the capitol in a few minutes. You will then be handed over to your stylist. One tip. Don't complain, no matter what they do, trust them," Haymitch finishes. We talked about some survival tips in the few minutes before we reached the Capitol. Haymitch was really smart. Crazy and annoying, but smart. He told us how to keep warm, how to get sponsors, apparently, after mentoring and watching forty-six kids die, he knew what he was talking about.

"There it is," Peeta says, walking up to the window, waving and smiling. What's he doing? I give him a sceptical look and he spoke up. "Who knows? Maybe one of them's rich," and with that, he continued waving.

"You better watch out, he knows what he's doing," Haymitch whispers, finishing his bread. I can't believe it. I know that he doesn't feel the same way but, I can't believe that he's going to want to kill me.

"C'mon this is fun," he says, swinging his left arm for me to come and say hi. I wave and fake a smile until we pulled down in a car, and escorted to a tower. We were immediately pulled from Effie and Haymitch when were brought to a room titled, stylist room.

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R-R-R-IP. The third time I've heard that noise, and yet I can't help but not yelp, even just a little.

"Phew! Good thing you aren't a whiner. The one we got last year kept on crying because it hurts," says a plump woman. "Well, you can't be beautiful if you don't get hurt once in a while,"

There's something wrong with that statement. Just that, they think they're really beautiful, when they're being laughed at, back at the district. They were ridding the hair of my body, talking about stuff like the latest trends, and those kinds of things. I tune them out. I've never really been one for girl talks.

"There, she looks almost human now," I want to scowl at the comment, but Haymitch said to not complain, so I keep my mouth shut. Like I have a choice though. It's so numb that I barely feel a thing.

"Let's call Cinna," said a man with purple streaking. They all left the room, for what seems like fifteen minutes when a man walked into the room, wearing simple, normal human outfits with the only hint of slight alteration is at the lightly-applied eyeliner. He wasn't who I was expecting to be from the Capitol, but at least he's normal. He pressed a button, and a plate with a lot of food emerged from the table near me.

"That was the bravest thing I've ever seen," he says, turning around to face me. "Hi, I'm Cinna. I'm your stylist," he says as I remain quiet.

"Thank you, most people just congratulated me," I say grimly.

"Well, that doesn't seem right, does it?" he says rhetorically. I look at him.

He doesn't seem familiar though. I usually see the stylists for the games, when they show them. But I don't think, I've ever seen this man before.

"You're new?" I ask.

"Yes," he chuckles, "It's my first year,"

"So they gave you district twelve," I mumble, indiscreetly.

"I heard that," he smiles, "but no, they didn't give it to me. I asked for it," he didn't give me enough time to ask what he meant when he talked.

"Now, for the opening ceremonies, it's customary for you to wear something that represents your district," This made me shudder. I remember a year when the tributes, were naked. They died in the bloodbath, and didn't get any sponsors.

"Now, me and my partner, Portia, found a way to make you stand out," definitely naked and powdered with coal dust. "Let me ask you, what do we do with coal?" he asks.

"We burn it," I say obviously.

"Smart, Katniss, are you scared of fire?" He asks with a crazy grin.

* * *

"It's not real fire," Cinna assures us for the fiftieth time in only an hour. He walks away, to talk to Portia and Haymitch when I remember Peeta beside me. He's wearing the same black costume I'm wearing and he looks striking with his blue eyes, out of the black suit.

"So what do you think of the fire?" he nudges, and asks me.

"I'll pull your cape, if you pull mine," I say, smiling.

"Deal," he says and chuckles. Just then, the anthem played, and the district one was up. They were striking with their silver painted bodies, with different types of stones on their bodies. The other chariots move, and when it's time for district twelve, Cinna came over and went over to us, holding a torch.

"Ready?" Peeta asks me, a second after Cinna left, with our now flaming capes. Surprisingly, it doesn't feel bad. A bit warm for my liking, but it just gives a strange ticklish sensation. Before our chariots move, we saw Cinna shouting something at us. I can't understand out of all the noise, but then Peeta started taking my hand. I like it but I wonder, and give him a sceptical look.

"It's what he said. Plus, the people will love it," he says, holding tightly, when we got out. The entire chariot ride took us about twenty minutes. From the opening chariots, to the president's mansion, I wave and smile at the adoring 'fans', so to speak, of the hunger games. A quarter of the way there, I hear the capitol citizens yelling 'District twelve' repeatedly, like a mantra, engraved in their resounding voices. When we got to the city circle, facing the president's mansion, I feel our flames fade, and the anthem fills the entire city. After the anthem, the president makes a speech that we've all heard before, and the chariots moved, leading us back to where we came from.

"That was amazing!" Cinna exclaimed, walking up to me and Peeta.

"Thanks, it was Katniss they loved," Peeta said and I feel a blush coming along.

"Yeah but did you see the girls in the audience? I thought they were going to faint," I joke around with Peeta and Cinna like we've known each other forever, when Haymitch and Effie walked up and brought us to the training center.

The training centre will be our 'prison' for the next four days, where we will discuss tactics, eat food, and the occasional joke around. When we got to the training centre, we went into a glass elevator, and Effie pressed the number twelve. The way there was fast, I was about to ask Effie if we could ride again, but that seems really stupid and childish. But who could blame me?

"Can I ride again?" I said to Effie, smiling.

"Oh Katniss, that's ch—"Effie was cut off by Peeta.

"Yeah me too Effie, we've never ridden on before," he says.

"All right," Effie sighs in defeat, and rides us again. Yay! When we got to the training center, I realized my shock was far from over. When we entered, I saw a huge room, big enough to house a lot seam households. It was draped with velvet curtains, hanging on the drapes of the huge glass windows that are on the edge. There's a huge dining table resting in the middle with huge, brown, chairs which are soft to the touch, and comforting to sit at.

"Ridiculous, huh?" Haymitch says walking up to me and Peeta, who just nodded in shock.

"This place can house about fifty people," I exaggerate to Haymitch who let out a feeble laugh.

"Yet they use it preparing kids for slaughter, ironic, huh?" he asks as we walk towards the sofa to watch the recaps. When the TV opened, which is a huge white wall with a projector, I saw that all eyes were on us. We were amazing. Blue, orange, red, yellow, all combined to make a beautiful fire from the black suit which was supposed to be the coals. We looked good.

"I told you, you should wear flames more often," Peeta says as he nudged me; and I can't help but blush.

"So... tomorrow, you'll start your training. Now, I forgot to ask you something at the train..." Haymitch fades off, taking a bite of his food. "Do you want to train together or separately?"

Me and Peeta exchange looks. "Why?" I blurt out.

"Let's say, you have a special ability that you wouldn't want the other to know about," Haymitch says.

"I have none, so together," says Peeta, almost immediately. I weigh my options. The good side of this is that I'd be able to talk and hang out with Peeta before the games. The bad side is... Well there is no bad side. I must have paused too long because I saw Haymitch and Peeta looking at me.

"We'll train together," I say, firmly.

"Okay, good. Now, what can you do? I already know that you can throw a knife, but what can you do well, but a little birdie told me that you can shoot, you any good?" he says. I haven't really thought about that, maybe I'm alright?

"I'm alright" I say.

"She's amazing with it. My dad always says how she shoots the squirrels she trades at the eye," Peeta says. I'm flattered that he noticed, but what's his angle?

"Well, Peeta can lift almost anything. You know the bags of flour at the bakery?" I ask Haymitch. "He can carry it. Plus, he can wrestle. He nearly won the competition last year. He only lost to his brother," I say.

"What are you doing?" Peeta whispers to me.

"What are you doing?" I retort.

"Well, shouldn't we tell them what we can do? If he's going to help us, you'll have to know your strengths. I already told him mine. That's why I didn't have to tell him twice," he says angrily. Maybe he is trying to kill me, but, he has to win so...

"Whatever," I roll me eyes.

"Now don't give me that, sweetheart," Haymitch says. Where did he even get the idea for the nickname? "Now, strength... is important, especially in the arena, all you have to do is come up with a knife,"

"See! At least, you can fight hand-to-hand. There always is. All you need is knife. If I get jumped on I'm done," I say, feeling like giving up. But I can't, one of us has to win. District twelve has to win.

"But you won't!" He retorts angrily. "You'll be on some tree picking all of us off, eating squirrels," He stands up and turns his attention to Haymitch. "She has no idea of the effect she can have!" He says angrily as he walks away, stomping off to his room.

"Well, you also have no idea on the effect you can have on people, too you know!" I say angrily as I sit down and bury my face in my hands.

"Anything wrong sweetheart?" I glare at him, "Hey hey hey, I'm just trying to help. If I didn't know any better, you might have a crush on that boy" I look up at him.

"Is it that obvious?" I say. Hell, if I'm going to die in that arena, at least I can tell him, who can tell Peeta when he wins.

"Really?" Haymitch asks seriously and I nod. "Well... this just got interesting," Haymitch says as he walks to his room, leaving me alone.

I walk up to my room and decided to sleep. Tomorrow's the training, and I just told technically told Haymitch that I love Peeta. He even said. This just got interesting and chuckled off before he left. What's that supposed to mean? And what did Peeta mean when he said that I had no idea of the effect I can have. What's that supposed to mean? As far as I'm concerned, I'm as interesting as a small cracker. But did he also not know of the effect he can have? Especially on me? I'm so confused right now.

* * *

**(A/N): That ends chapter three. I honestly, find this story in it's entirety hard to write, but you guys make it easier. Again, thanks to those who reviewed and thanks to those who story alerted and put this story on their favorite stories.**

**Was the chapter nice? was it good? Anything you'd like to say? suggest? Don't be shy, and press the small review button down there. Thanks :)**

**-Lee**


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N): Sorry for the slow update! I was working on my other story. Plus, it's kind of hard to write this kind of story. It'll be explained at the end authors note. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy, and please review :)**

* * *

**Katniss POV**

* * *

My senses are tingling. On the far corner of a white room, lays Prim with bloody clothes, open eyes. On the other end is Peeta, with the same bloody clothes and lifeless blue eyes. In my hand is an injection.

"Who'll you save Katniss?" A voice resounded in the room. I have heard that voice once or twice, but I now realize that I have nowhere to run. I try to take one step to Prim's direction, and Peeta's starting to get weaker. I don't know who to choose. I look at my two options. I can't decide. Then they immediately get weaker, with each second they're screaming for their lives. Every second, they fall even faster. They're dying.

"Who're you going to choose, Katniss? You have two seconds to decide and run," The voice said. I can't pick. I begin to tear up. I can't decide. Prim or Peeta. Prim or Peeta. Then in a snap, I see both of them falling, their lifeless body spiralling down to the cold hard ground.

"No!" I yell and weep.

I woke up in a cold sweat. Somebody's shaking me but I can't decipher who it is in the dark room. I squint my eyes to adjust to the darkness and see the crystal blue eyes of Peeta.

"Katniss! Wake up!" He says as I adjust to the dark. I move up to the headboard of the bed and he sighed. "Good you're awake. I heard you screaming awhile ago. Are you okay?" He asks and I nod my head. "Bad dreams? Because you screeched no, what happened?" He asks.

"I don't want to talk about it," I say. I don't want to tell him that I can't choose between him and Prim. He'll find out that I like him. It's too embarrassing. Everyone knows that I loved Prim more that my own life. So telling him that I can't decide between him and Prim will be practically making him know that I love him.

"Oh. Well breakfast is in five minutes. I figured that you wouldn't want to be woken up by Effie," he says as he walked out the door, smiling. Why is he smiling? We're about to go to our death's in the arena in a few days.

I roll my eyes and walk towards the shower.

* * *

Once again, I'm stuck at a dilemma. Which button do I push? I pressed at a button and no scent arrives. Finally! I just have to remember that every time I take a shower. I finish my shower, and wear a black shirt with matching black pants that Cinna laid out for me. I sigh as I went out of the room to go to the dining area.

When I got to the dining area, I see that everyone's there already.

"Nice of you to come by, sweetheart," Haymitch asks. "Heard you had a rough night," I look at Peeta, who got interested at his plate. I shake my head and got my food, before I sat.

"Okay, training starts at ten. Now I don't want you to go to your specialties. Katniss, stay away from the bow and arrows, while Peeta, stay away from the weights. You have to save that for your private sessions with the gamemakers," He says, taking a bite out of his pancake. I looked at my food, and dug in. It's delicious, but I remember to pace myself. I don't want to throw up.

While we were eating, we were discussing more strategies like how to build a smokeless fire, how to avoid the blood bath and stuff like that. Who knew that, after twenty-four years of mentoring, Haymitch will be able to answer any of our questions? Even the ones like how never to go to feasts unless it's a real necessity or that they weren't allowed to give gifts at that time period. Who knew that Haymitch will know about that? Our district barely reaches the top eight, sometimes even sixteen. When we stand up, I notice that Peeta's wearing the same thing as I am.

"So the twin act is still up?" I ask Haymitch.

"Yes," he says sternly. "Now, in training, I want you two to stay together at all times," I begin to protest but Haymitch cuts me off. "We made a deal. I'll stay sober, you do as I say," he says and I remember that deal. But hey, if it can keep Peeta alive I'm on board. Me, Effie, and Peeta walks towards the elevator talking about the new fashion designs in the Capitol. I tune her out, as I notice Peeta tuning her out as well. He caught me looking at him, and he smiles. While trying to stop the inevitable blush, we reach the bottom of the training center.

The training center is huge. I bet that this is even bigger than half the Seam. It's so big. With dark walls and dark aura, it feels like the game has already begun. There I see that Peeta and I are the last ones down there. The other tributes looks at us expectantly until a woman named Atala gathered us in a circle, and talked to us.

"Strictly no fighting!" She says for the fiftieth time since that start of her speech where she talked about the odds of our probably death. Just like the Capitol to talk about the lives of twenty-three kids who'll be ended, for their stupid entertainment.

"Where do you want to start?" Peeta says.

"How about knots?" I say as we go to the knot-tying section. Turns out, Peeta was pretty okay with knots. His intricate fingers, that does the cakes that I love seeing in the bakery so much, can tie up one of the advanced knots that I've perfected already. He's really pretty good at this. After the knot-tying section, we head over the spear throwing section, and dare-I-say Peeta's a natural. His first throw ended up at the torso of the dummy. It was good. When I threw my spear, it didn't even hit the target.

"Here let me help you. First, you raise your arm up a bit, and then with one forceful throw, using your thumb and pointer, you throw it," He holds my hands and throws the spear in it. It hits dead center.

"Thanks," I say as he threw his next spear, this time hitting a ring outside the heart.

"Hey I think we have a shadow," He says pointing to my back where I see the little girl from eleven, Rue.

Practice wasn't really eventful. The usual career alliance showing off while the other tributes cower in fear. I just shrug them off. None of them are going to win. Peeta's going to win. When he does, Haymitch will tell him how I feel. That's enough for me. My family can go on without me. With the people in the mines digging deeper, there are bound to be accidents, and my mother will be there to help them. I know it's not good wishing for people to be hurt, but I can't help but think it. I mean, people in the games will get hurt. It's just the way it's always been.

It's been three days in the training center. Somehow, I managed to avoid the bow and arrows. Whenever I take a glance at it, a girl with blond hair and green eyes, kept on getting frustrated with her inability to use the weapon. It's just stupid. She should just stick with what she learned in their stupid academies. It's been three days. Now, I'm waiting for the gamemakers to call me. Haymitch told me that the gamemakers score will help our sponsors. They will want to sponsor us if we get a high score. We already made a bang at the tribute parade, but it couldn't help to give them another reason to sponsor us.

"Katniss Everdeen," The voice said. I'm the last one there. When I entered the room, I heard singing. I looked up at the gamemaker lodge and saw them drinking. They better pay attention. They don't.

"Katniss Everdeen, District twelve," I say, that managed to get their attention. Most of them turn to face me and I went to the bow and arrows. I get the bow. It's slightly heavier, and the arrow is thinner. I hope it doesn't mess up my aim. I aim for the heart of the dummy. I let go of the string, but missed a couple of inches. The gamemakers laugh at my mistake. I shot another arrow, this time hitting dead center. I smiled at my short success and looked at the gamemakers. They're all looking at a roasted pig. If they're going to decide my life in the arena, they have to just be aware that I'm in the room with them. I am furious at them, and before I know it. An arrow has lodged itself in the apple of the pigs mouth.

"Thank you for your kind consideration," I say walking out, proud of what I did. Even if it might get me killed, they should learn to pay attention.

* * *

"You did what?" The sound of the pink-haired Effie Trinket said.

"I was mad, they weren't paying attention to me," I defend. Effie shrugs my defence as Haymitch walked into the room. Oh no. I'm going to get yelled at by my mentor. Is there anything worse than having your lifeline in the arena mad at you? I was expecting a yell but I was greeted by a soft voice.

"Nice job, sweetheart," said the voice of Haymitch.

"Nice Job?" Effie freaked out. "Do you have any idea on what they're going to do to her now?"

"Like what? As you've probably noticed, they've already had revenge on hair. So calm down and have drink, " he says as he sat down. When Effie has calmed down, and Haymitch quits joking around about how they looked like, how they reacted and he couldn't stop laughing when I told him that one of the gamemakers fell on the punch bowl.

When I realized what just happened, I run to my room without hesitation. I just ruined my shot. Now they're going to want to kill me. Oh my. I need Peeta to win. Now, if they figure out that I like him, they're going to want to kill him too. Damn! I didn't think this through. I lie down in my bed thinking hard, when someone knocked at the door and a cool voice sounded in my room.

"Hey, are you okay?" It was Peeta. I opened my door and turned around, but he stopped me and brought me to somewhere. He brought me to a flight of stairs and I was brought to what must be the rooftop.

"What happened? Why are you crying?" He said wiping away a tear. Why is he doing this?

"I'm okay," I say.

"Good, now let's go back. But we could stay here if you like," Why is he being so nice to me?

"Can you tell me a story?" I ask,

"What kind?"

"About Christine," the words just came out of my mouth. He chuckled and talked.

"Well, she liked me first and I learned to like her. Not really learned though. My mother threatened to punish me if I don't go out with her. Her father's a doctor you see, so he's really rich," said Peeta.

"Nice," is all I can say. We had silence for awhile so I asked what has been bugging me. "Why did she break up with you?"

"Why shouldn't she? I'm going to the hunger games. My chance of winning is a million to one," I can't believe that he thinks that.

"Well that's no way to think, and that was wrong of her," I say.

"How about you and Gale? Did you end it?"

"What? Gale and I aren't dating. It's not like that," I say defensively. I wanted to say that it was him that I liked, but that seems stupid.

"Really? Because by the way he looks at you, it looks like he wants you," he says.

"Well, I don't feel that way about him. That'll never change. There's only one person for me," I can't believe I just said that!

"Who?" I just shake my head. "Why? Why don't you want to talk about it?"

"I just can't, okay?" I took all I had not to tell him, but he must not know. "Can we go now?" I ask before he can bring up another question. We walk back to the twelve floor in silence, and by the time we reach it, they're announcing the scores.

* * *

**(A/N): Thanks for reading guys! You make this worth writing.**

**Please review, if you have any ideas and stuff. Or comments, negative reactions. **

**It's really hard to work on a story like this so I really hope that you like this. It's really hard to write in a girl's POV like this because I'm a straight dude who thought of giving this idea a shot. Even while writing this, I still as my friends on how a girl will normally react to a situation like this. So... I hope you guys like it. I've been working real hard including, reading fanfics of Katniss being like this, just so I can get her to be in character. So I apologize for the slight out-of-context Katniss that I've made her out to be. :)**

**Hope you like it and please review :)**

**-Lee**


	5. Chapter 5

**(A/N): Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. I haven't been at my house for a while. I looked at the reviews and thank you very much. I really appreciate each and every one of them.**

**Anyway, here's chapter five:**

* * *

**Katniss POV**

"_Introducing, Caesar Flickerman," _ The voice of the TV boomed across the entire twelve floor. Peeta and I walked towards the living area where Effie, Cinna, Portia, and Haymitch await. When they heard Peeta's loud footsteps, they turned their heads towards me and him.

"Well, nice of you to join us, sweetheart," said the voice of Haymitch, obviously on his third glass of whiskey.

"Sorry, just need some air," I say, not even bothering to lie. They just nod and turn their attention towards the TV. Peeta took my hand and sat me down on a chair, with him taking the one next to me. I can't say that I didn't like the gesture. I loved it, but I don't want either of us to get attached to one another. There will be a district twelve victor. I just haven't decided which one of us I'd want to live more.

"_Now, as you all know, each tribute was granted an audience with the gamemakers. They showed them what they could best do, and they were to be given a score from one to twelve with twelve being the highest. Let's start," _I hold my breath and stiffen. After all the attention, Cinna and Portia, gave to making our costumes the best. I disgraced them by probably getting a one, or worse a zero. I just want to die right now. Peeta took my hand and look at him. He had a look that says 'everything is going to be okay', but I know it won't be. And why is he being so nice to me? Does he like me? No, probably just the nice guy that he is. Plus, He was crying in the train over his break-up with his girlfriend. Why would he want me?

"_District 1, Marvel was given the score of nine. Glimmer, an eight. District two, Cato, ten. Clove, ten," _The list goes on and on with, most tributes getting a score from five to seven. At least that's decent enough to get sponsors. I'll probably need to go naked in the arena just to get a sponsor. But that's not an option. At least, I can keep my decency. "_District eleven, Thresh, ten. Rue, seven," _Little Rue got a seven. I wonder what she did, she's so small. What did she do? Did she use weapons? Did she show survival skills? I was disrupted from my thoughts, by the picture of Peeta appearing on the screen. _"District twelve, Peeta Mellark, eight," _We cheer for him. That's great. He can get a lot of sponsors through that. I just hope that I can say the same for myself. When his score was announced, he immediately stood up, grabbed my hand and lifted me around. All I can think of is why. We were disrupted from our 'premature' celebration, as Effie would like to describe it, by the announcing of my score. _"Last, but not the least. Katniss Everdeen, a one"_ Shit. I start crying my eyes out. Now, nobody would want to sponsor me. I try to run out of the room but Peeta restricts me in a hug, "_Oh I apologize my mistake,"_ The voice of Caesar came from the TV. _"I must be getting old. I've rarely seen a score like this. Katniss Everdeen's score is... eleven" _

"An eleven!" Effie shrieked. They all congratulate me for the job well done but Peeta's voice was all I heard. "You're amazing. Congratulations," he said as he let go. I wish he didn't, but I don't want us to be attached to each other.

"They liked your guts, sweetheart," said Haymitch, taking another shot of vodka, into his system. I can't stop smiling. It's a first. After about twenty minutes of celebration, Effie immediately asks us to go to our room, to freshen up before dinner. On our way there, Peeta took my hands in his and looked me in the eye. I want to melt at that moment.

"Congratulations on t-t-the eleven. You must've done r-really well," he says stuttering. He lets go of my hand and kissed my cheek and left. I felt a lingering touch on my cheek for a good ten minutes. I only realized now, maybe he hasn't really given up. He still wants to win this. Maybe, just maybe, the boy who saved me all those years ago, is trying to bring my guard down; and more importantly, Peeta Mellark, the boy who saved my life five years ago, is out for my blood

I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes, a new horror seeps through the cracks in my eyes. Every blink causes a new vision that will soon invade my nightmares. _Blink. _Peeta is down with a spear on his abdomen. _Blink_. Prim is drowning in a pool of crimson red liquid, blood. _Blink_. Peeta and Prim on the ground with a scary pool of blood.

* * *

I decide that I can't take it any longer. I hastily opened the lights, and went to the roof top. I need a place to think. I can't take seeing a different vision for every blink. It's driving me insane. I need a place where I see even just a speck of home. And that's at the roof top where I can say anything I want, just like the woods. I opened the door to the rooftop seeing Peeta, staring out at the skies. One look at him makes me want to melt. He sighs heavily and it doesn't take a genius to guess that he's deep in thought. I walk towards him, but he doesn't seem to notice. When I got close enough, he turned to face me and gave me a weak smile. I settled near him, and I feel a radiance of warmth emanating from his skin. I feel warm chills all of the sudden, running all over my body.

"Can't sleep?" He asks. Of course I can't, I can't even blink in the dark without seeing a vision of someone I love dying.

"No," I say. We had a few minutes of silence and he spoke up. I kind of wish he didn't. I know that I'm being such a lovesick puppy here, but that's his effect on me.

"Congratulations again on the eleven," He says, firmly. Like he's angry, why? Is he jealous? I'm the one with target at my back. Why is he angry?

"Thanks, congratulations on the eight, too" I say, sheepishly. He the clenched his fist and a serious look on his face tells me that he's angry.

"What did you do? Do you know that you have a target on your back right now? You'll be the target when we get to the arena!" He almost shouts at me.

"I showed them what I can do. That's what Haymitch said!" I scream equally loud. "Won't that be better for you? When you get home you can be with Christine all you want. I know she won't cheat on you. I've seen the way she looks at you, she loves you!"

"You have no idea on what you're talking about," He says, trying to calm his voice. "Don't you ever think that maybe I don't want her! That the only reason I'm with her is because I was set-up by my parents? Or maybe because she's the closest one I can see that looks like the girl I love because the girl I love doesn't love me back! And she might never will." I never really thought about that. I should've though. The way his mother beats and hits him, it breaks me to know that she'll sell his son just for her to have a better future. It angers me in ways I couldn't imagine. "I bet that she'll never even know, on what I'll give, just to be with her," He says as he left the room.

I tense up, and began to allow myself to cry. First, because he yelled at me with anger I didn't know he had in him. Second, because he told me on how much he was hurt by his mother by forcing him to a girl. Third, because it broke my heart knowing that he loves someone else, and I'm sure that I'm not that girl. Why would he love me? We barely even talked. On the few moments we made eye contact, he would look away quickly and so would I. It hurts me because I know that he will never love me now. It's either him or me who's going to make it out in the games. And the worst part is, I still haven't decided which one of us is going home.

I went back to my room after the argument and tried to go back to sleep. The lights which are usually tuned off at sleep are now switched on. I can't stay in the dark too long. I see all the faces of the tributes coming at me. It's too horrible. I try to sleep and lie down on the bed. All I remember before I sleep is that Peeta hates me now.

* * *

"Up up up it's a big big day!" The peppy voice of our district twelve escort woke me up from my nightmare. Thank you, Effie. I get up, take a shower, and head back down to the dining area to see Haymitch, Effie, and Peeta already eating breakfast. Why am I always so late?

"Nice of you to join us, sit," Haymitch says as I sat down on the seat next to Effie, avoiding Peeta. I don't even want to look at him. I'm scared that he might flip out again. We eat our meal in silence until I spoke up, effectively breaking the silence.

"About that," Haymitch pauses. "Peeta has asked to be trained separately,"

Betrayed. I feel betrayed and hurt at the same time. It's the worst feeling I've ever gotten. I'm suddenly being turned off right now. Not because he got mad at me. No. Not because he told me that he as-good-as-told-me that he was fantasizing about another woman while dating Christine. No. But now, I feel really turned off. Maybe, the games really do bring out the worst in people. But I can't help but feel hurt, that someone I've loved for five years wants to kill me. But I won't give him the satisfaction that I'm weakening.

"Good, now what's the plan?" I ask, sternly, not wanting any emotions to come out. Haymitch raises and eyebrow and speaks.

"Tonight is the night for the interviews. Now, don't get me wrong, the parade and the score is important but next to the interviews, those are worthless. Now, both of you will be trained separately, now. But that doesn't mean that you'll stop with the twin pairing—" I cut him off.

"No! Stop it with the twin act. We're going to have to kill each other soon. Why should we get attached?" I shout at Haymitch. He knots his eyebrows and talks.

"We made a deal. I'll stay sober to help you while you do what I say," He says calmly. "Now, do as I say if you want to get sponsors which can save your butt in the arena. Everything in the arena can change the outcome of the future. A knife, a match, even a pebble is the difference between life and death. Now sit down," I do as he told. I didn't even know that I stood up.

"Now, I'll start with Peeta for four hours, for content, while you go with Effie for how to act at the interview. After four hours, we switch. Get it?" I nod as I took my final bite at my scrambled egg.

We finished the meal in silence and when it's time to practice, Effie took me away and settled me in a different room. This is going to be a long practice.

* * *

**(A/N): Next will be Katniss' session with Haymitch to the interviews to the start of the games.**

**I hope you like it!**

**And if you have time, please check my profile, and try to read my stories. It's much appreciated. **

**Thanks for the support!**

**-Lee**


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N): Thank you for all the reviews :) Hope you like this one.**

* * *

**Katniss POV**

"Eek!" The shrill shriek of Effie Trinket filled our practice room. "Katniss! You're posture is absurd! Here put this book on your head," She said giving me a pile of hard bound books. I feel like I'm being trained to be a princess when I know I'm only being prepared for slaughter. No, Katniss. You can' think like that. District twelve will have a victor. I just don't know which one. I have every reason to be mad at Peeta. I just can't. There's something about him that pacifies my angry feelings about him. I placed the books on my head and looked at the clock. We started at ten so we should be done by two. I looked at the clock. Ten-fifteen? How can it only have been fifteen minutes? It feels like two hours to me.

Training with Effie was horror. She has so many complaints that it could fill an entire district land with small font letters. Katniss, stop tripping on those five inch heels. Stop tripping over the lace of the dress. Stop moving your head. Improve your posture. I tune it out and just do what she tells me as well as I can do. After all, there's only a few minutes left. When the time came, Effie escorted me to the dining area, where Haymitch and Peeta are laughing. I can't help but let a small smile show at the sight of Peeta laughing. I wish I can make him laugh like that. Effie hands me over to Haymitch, who in return, gave Peeta to her. He looks at me, grins and I reciprocate.

'Good luck. You'll need it' I mouth to him, and he nods. I sat beside Haymitch and he took a sip of his beer.

"So, now what're we going to do with you?" He asks rhetorically, I remain quiet.

"Obviously, we can't go for friendly, no, you're too unfriendly," He comments.

We spent the next four hours thinking of any ideas for my interview. After the third hour or so, Haymitch just practically gave up. He even commented that I am as interesting as a dead slug. I can't help but feel hurt. A dead slug? Yeah right. A dead slug that got an eleven and had the guts to shoot at the gamemakers. I want to tell him that, but I just nod. He said to do what he tells us to, right? So I don't complain.

He tried everything in the four hours. Cute. Sexy. Likeable. Innocent. Bloodthirsty. Everything from a to z; but nothing. There's nothing that he found.

"Nevermind. Just be yourself, that's the most I can give you, just hope for the best," he says as Effie and Peeta walked into the room. Effie's face contorted in anger at Haymitch's comment and freaked out.

"You should be helping her!" Effie screamed at Haymitch.

"Hey, I tried but let's face it. She's as charming as a dead slug. I tried everything. _Everything_," He hints at Effie. I don't really know what that was about.

"Haymitch! Don't say that!" Peeta shouted. He looked at me, grabbed my hand and led me out on the rooftop.

"Katniss, I'm sorry," he blurts out. When I don't respond, he looks at me.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you and getting mad at you yesterday. That was out of place, very out of place. I was just mad," he says to me.

"It's okay," I say. He looks at his watch and brought us back downstairs. On the way to the stairs, he stopped me and talked.

"Let's talk here again later, okay? After the interviews," he says as we go back downstairs to be placed on our costumes for the interview.

I walk over to Cinna and brought back to where we were before the tribute parade. Cinna and I went inside the room and was immediately greeted by my prep team. They placed me in a gurney and scrubbed me down immediately. After one hour of scrubbing and filing, they left the room so Cinna and I can have some privacy.

"I heard about your dilemma with Haymitch," He says as he pulls a beautiful red dress from the closet.

"We're still on with the fire?" I say.

"Yes. That's how the people remember you, so we'll make you even memorable," he pauses as he placed me in the dress. It has a sharp warm feeling, but comfortable all the way.

"Nice," is all I can say.

"What are you planning to do with your interview?" He asks me, staring at my gray orbs.

"I don't know. I don't know. He said that I was as charming as a dead slug. I can't blame him. I'm hopeless," I say as I sob on my hands. I see my mascara fading but I don't care. All I care is about how I'm going to blow it tonight.

"You're not going to blow it tonight. Trust me. Haymitch has something planned out. But here's what you do, who in the Capitol do you trust?" He asks me. Obviously, I trust him above all these people. Even Haymitch.

"You," I point out.

"So here's what you do, pretend that you're talking to me. You're pretty charming when you talk to someone who you trust," He says and I smile. "Now, let's fix your mascara," He says.

Caesar Flickerman is the Hunger Games' legendary host, for over forty years. Every year he has hosted, he has a new style of hair in many different types of colour. Last year, he dyed his hair crimson red. I can remember my scowl in disgust over the colour that has similarly represented the colour of blood. This year, he has dyed it a cerulean blue. I can't say that I dislike the colour, but I'm not saying that I like it either.

I and the other tributes are brought at the front row seats in front of the stage. At the stage, there are two chairs, one for Caesar, and one for the current tribute being interviewed. Each tribute has at least three minutes to prove to the sponsors on why they should choose them.

"Let us welcome all the way from district one, let's see if she will really shine, Glimmer!" Caesar exclaimed, as a girl with a gold see-through dress, just breaking above the knees, broke out in the chair beside Caesar. She must be running for sex appeal to the Capitol men. I can't say that she's doing really well. All the guys in the room are practically drooling over her. I'm guessing the designer thought that the more the people see the better.

The next guy to go on stage is a guy named Marvel going for charming and funny. I can see him trying to crack a few jokes with Caesar on stage. I tune the rest of them out only noticing a few; the arrogant male of District two, the intimidating girl, also from two, the girl from five who only mumbles out answers. I paid extra attention to the little girl from eleven, Rue. She got a seven at training, higher than some older tributes of other districts. I wonder how she did it. I listen to her interview with Caesar with depth.

"Well, I'm really fast, so they can't catch me. If they can't catch me, they can't kill me," Rue says in such a cute manner. I'm sad that she has to die in order for Peeta or me to live. I sigh in my head. I still can't decide. If he lives, meaning I die, my family will probably starve. They need me. But if he dies, I lose my dandelion. He's my hope. If that happens, I'll die inside and be an empty shell.

Rue walked from the stage and back to her seat as Thresh took the stage. He's going with a sort of elusive and dangerous angle; I wouldn't want to know considering that he got a ten in training. I mean, I got an eleven, but that's mostly out of fire. When he finished, I was called to the stage by Caesar Flickerman as my interview goes.

"So Katniss Everdeen, that was quite a show you put on at the tribute parade," he says. "Now, tell me, what was going through your mind when you saw yourself on the big screen," I scan the audience for Cinna. I see him and I answer.

"I was just kind of hoping that I won't burn to death," I say truthfully as the audience chuckles. The odd thing is that I didn't really joke; that was what was occupying my mind at the time. Caesar joins the laughing as it died down.

"Now tell me, what was the best thing you've experienced in the Capitol," he says, still with the huge smile.

"Probably the lamb stew," I say cheerfully. Hey, I need these people to like me. Caesar laughs along with the audience.

"Oh yeah! I love those. I eat them by the bucketful, can you tell?" He says patting his belly. I just shake my head with a small smile.

"No, Caesar, I most definitely cannot tell," I say, looking at Cinna.

"Well, to more important matters, your sister, how was she when you volunteered for her at the reaping, did she say goodbye to you?" He asks two questions hoping to kill two birds with one stone. But this is my chance, this is what I'm good at, when I'm talking about Prim.

"I love Prim more than anything," I say directly. "And yes she came to said goodbye, and I promised her that I'll try to win," I say as gently as possible, as he nods in approval.

"Yes, yes. And try you will..." He says as the buzzer rings. "Ladies and gentlemen! Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire!" He exclaimed as I went back to my seat.

I scanned the audience to look for Cinna. When I saw Cinna, he gave me a reassuring nod and a smile. I smile back as I took my seat, just in time to see Peeta take his seat next to Caesar. He looks so handsome with his clothes. He looks just like how he did at the first reaping. They joked around for a bit with a banter where he asks Caesar to smell him, if he smelled of roses. I can't help but smile as big as I would if Prim were smiling a huge grin.

"Now. Now. Now. Handsome lad like you, you must have a girl waiting for you at home," Caesae says as Peeta shakes his head. I know enough about him that it was a lie. He's going to talk about Christine or the girl he was talking about. I can't watch. I'll be heartbroken.

"Now come on, you can tell us," Caesar suggested as Peeta puts on a shy smile.

"Well, there is this one girl. I've had a huge crush on her ever since I can remember; but I don't think that she's actually noticed that I existed before the reaping," Peeta says shyly.

"Then this is what you do. You win, you go home, she can't say no to you then," Caesar says with his usual smile. Peeta lets out a nervous smile.

"I don't think winning is really going to help me here," he says.

"Why not?" Caesar says questioningly.

"Because... be-because... she came here with me," Peeta says as Caesar's smile drops.

"Well who wouldn't love that dashing lady? I'd like to invite her here, but I'm afraid her time's up," Caesar pauses as Peeta nods.

"Well, our hearts go with you, Peeta Mellark of District twelve," He says as Peeta left the stage. I'm still shocked of his admittance. I walk over to him help his shoulders and kissed him. A gush of awe's filled the crowd as we pulled back. I smile at him and he reciprocates as we returned back to our seats. The anthem ended as we walked back to the training room. I immediately corner him to talk to him.

"Is it true?" I ask him. He nods in agreement as he leaned in for a kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he wrapped his hand around my waist.

"That's why I was mad at you. You made yourself a target, but I can't hate you," He says as he kisses me. Haymitch later pulled us apart as we were brought to our rooms in order to rest for the games tomorrow. I love the feeling on my lips. The slight tingly feeling of his lips to mine. It took me at least two hours, lying in my bed, to realize that I couldn't sleep. I walked up to the roof to see Peeta there who gave me a weak smile. We stood there in comfortable silence as he spoke up.

"I mean it, you know. Every word," He says.

"But why? Why only now?" I ask him.

"Because you're always with Gale. I was jealous, a lot. He was the guy who could make you laugh. I knew I was a goner a long time ago, but never lost hope. But when you kissed me there, it made me think. Does she love me too?" He says. "Do you?" I nod in approval.

"It's just a little too late for that now," I say. He walks over to me and gave me a kiss.

"D-d-do you love me too?" He asks. I nod.

"Why?" He asks.

"Ever since you threw that bread. It saved my life and gave me hope. That's the reason I'm still here," I say truthfully.

"Well, I love you Katniss. Even if it didn't seem like it, I do. Remember, when I'm we're in the games, don't believe everything I do, okay?" He asks. I begin to wonder why.

"Why?" I ask.

"I'm going to do things there that you won't like. I know it's a little too much but I'm going to do everything I can to get you home, I was never a contender in these games anyway," He says like he's given up.

"Why? Why would you let yourself down like that?" I say as he chuckles.

"Because I've loved you for a long time. I just hadn't made a move out of fear of rejection. But there's only one thing I want to be when I die. I want to be me. I won't let the games change me," He says.

"I can't really afford to think like that. But you can't give up," I say sternly.

"Why not? No one will miss me, no one needs me," He says.

"If I win and you die, all my hope in life will die, I can't let you die," I say as he came closer to me. He stares at me with his beautiful blue eyes and talked.

"I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there," He says as he kissed me. This wasn't like any of the few ones we've shared. There's passion, determination, love, desperation and a lot more emotions. I gladly kissed him back. Who knows, maybe this will be the last time I can do it. I still haven't decided of which one of us will live, I'm too distracted by his soft lips that are gently pressing unto mine. There's only one thing I've decided though. District twelve will have a victor this year.

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**(A/N): Okay, so I put a little of the book in here, but I have a lot of things planned up for the games and such. I hope you liked it :) Thanks for reading**

**Plus, I'm so sad :( I have a major decline in the number of reviews :( . I hope you guys aren't uninterested, because if you are, I'll immediately finish this, not making the story last longer. I lose motivation :/ I'm sorry if I'm being like this but... you know how it is with people who write, if they lose inspiration, they lose interest. You guys are my inspiration in writing this. **

**Anyways, I have more things planned up, so please stay alert :)) **

**Love you guys :)**

**-Lee**


	7. Chapter 7

**(A/N): Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy this one =)**

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**Katniss' POV**

I can't sleep.

That's it. I can't sleep. Either it be from Peeta's sudden show of affection or from the impending games in a matter of hours, I can't sleep. My mind keeps filling my head with images of the kiss. The games, which will happen. The outcome, if neither of us wins. But we have to win, losing is not an option. District twelve has to have a victor. If not, I don't know what I'll do. I think about possible happenings, lying down on my bed. When we pulled apart, I went to my room, and washed my face. I crashed down on my bed, hearing loud footsteps outside, a door creaking, and finally closing. So Peeta finally decided to sleep. Figures. I kept my mind complacent, not wanting the bad images take over my mind. I can only think of one thing. Peeta likes me. He actually likes me. I have to fix myself to keep me from giggling. I never giggle. Never.

* * *

There is a vast majority of trees to my right, a sound of soothing mockingjays singing beautifully to a lullaby. The my left is a huge waterfall with streaks of crimson red, falling down with a thud, promptly taking over the sound of the mockingjays, from where I'm located. I turned my back to see a magnificent mountain, the perfect shape of a cone. It was beautiful, the kind only seen in drawings and paintings in school murals and such. I turn my attention to what's in front of me; nothing but a white wall. There's nothing in the wall, except the white colour that reeks of paint, and the sudden streaks of red being shown. I hear a sudden screech at my east side. I looked over to see a small girl, wearing a blood-stricken blue dress with a small untucked part of her dress from her back. Prim. I instinctively run, but something's restricting me. I can't move.

"Prim!" I call out in distress. She cries a lone tear as the trees are put on fire, burning Prim to a crisp. I sob in my place as the sight of my burnt sister.

"Katniss! Katniss! Katniss!" A voice resounded above me. Before I know it, I am being shaken by an unknown figure.

* * *

I wake up in a cold sweat; beads of sweat dripping from my forehead to my cheek and falling at my chin. I keep my eyes closed in hopes of waking up from another nightmare. Nightmare. I was having a nightmare. I still refuse to open my eyes. If I open them, I will sure see another mirage of visions. I refuse to let that happen. I would rather cry right now, eyes closed, than to see everything all over again. I still feel the hands on my shoulders. Haymitch? Effie? No. These hands are warm. Peeta.

I still keep my eyes closed in hopes of losing myself, hoping this is all a nightmare; that I was still back home, trading squirrels with Mr. Mellark, stealing glances at his son. But no, in a few hours I'll fight to the death. And the worst part is, until now, I haven't decided who'll win.

I sob harder this time, the hands on my shoulders crawling to my back, and taking me in for a hug. I still refuse to open my eyes. I don't want to see those images again. I feel a slight brush on my upper lip.

"Shh, everything's fine. It's okay," I open my eyes to see the sparkling blue eyes of Peeta, a distinction in the dark if you may say.

"No it's not," I dejected. I don't want to lie to myself. At the end of the month, one of us will be dead. I know it. Worse comes to worse; both of us. Peeta just whispers soothing words, as I calm down. He somehow makes me feel safe all of a sudden. I've never felt this way before.

"Katniss, you need to get some rest," He says as he lies me down. I start to refuse.

"I don't want to. I can see them every time I close my eyes. Each one a different death. I see everyone I love die in front of me. Even if it's just a dream, it seems so real," I say as his eyes soften.

"I have that too. Ever since you volunteered, I can't sleep. It's too much. I just have to remind myself that you're still here," He says, as I start to sob. I don't know why I'm being so... What's the word... weak. I've never been like this; not even in the forest. Peeta encourages me to sleep, reluctantly. When he finally caves in, he gets under the covers and wrapped me in his arms. I don't reject. I know that this may be my last night. I want to spend it with the boy the I have loved, ever since I was eleven, five years ago.

* * *

He made me feel safe for one night. I managed to fall asleep, safe and sound, with no nightmares invading my subconscious mind as I sleep. I feel safe, and I love it. I haven't felt safe ever since my father died. Nope. I've never felt safe.

I opened my eyes to see a pair of sparkling blue eyes staring at me, a look which I give to Prim; a look full of love.

"Good morning, Katniss," I smile at him as I look at the clock. It's a quarter to six. The time we're supposed to be placed in the hands of our designers. We both stand, with me still feeling his heat as he smiles weakly at me. I know that in about two hours we'll fight. We'll be in frenzy. Everyone will do anything to survive, even if it means taking the life of another human being. I shudder at the thought, and shake my head to lose the thought. I move to the bathroom only to have Peeta stopping me. He took my by the shoulders and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a bone-crushing hug. We stay in the position in minutes until he looks at me straight in the eyes and talks.

"Remember what Haymitch told us. Get out of the cornucopia, get water, and stay alive. Remember that. Don't forget it," He says as he presses his lips to mine, as I return the kiss. It's more passionate than the others. He pulls back, and settled his forehead on mine. "I need you to know something. I'm going to be truthfully honest. I'm not going to make it out of there. You will. You need to make sure!" He says to me, with teary eyes. I don't know what to say. I can't believe he's just given up on that. I shake my head.

"No, you can't throw your life for mine," I reply. I don't want to live knowing that he died. It will pain me a lot.

"I have to and I will. Just remember this," He says as he pulls back going to the door. "Whatever I'm doing in the arena, it's for you," he says as he leaves. No. I still refuse to let him throw it away for me. I can fend for myself, yes, but I need him to know that I have no life in twelve back if he's not there. Yes, I may have Prim, mother and Gale, but that would be physically. If I go back to district twelve without him, I'd be more that facially deprived – from the arena—and mentally challenged – from the brain exhaustion I'm sure to feel—but I will also be unemotionally inclined. I won't be the same Katniss.

Right now, I understand how my mother was cut off from this world, with the love of her life taken away from her. I will always love him, no matter what. I can't change that after five years. It's too long. I haven't known him 'properly' in the sense that we have never spoken before the games, but even by just observing him afar, stealing and receiving glances, I know that I love him. And no matter what I do, I have made my decision. Peeta Mellark will come home.

* * *

"You can do this. I'll see you in a few weeks," Cinna said, assuringly. I still haven't decided to tell them my plan. I won't tell them my plan. Not maybe, until Peeta gets home. I need him to go home.

"Thanks," I say. We are now underneath the arena, in our own launch rooms. We were brought here through hovercrafts. Trackers were placed on our arms, and we are set.

"I couldn't bet. But if I did, I'll bet on you," Cinna says as he places my mockingjay pin on my shirt. He kisses my in the cheek and I smile.

"Really?" I ask, childishly. He chuckles.

"Very true," He says as a monotonous voice resounded.

'Tributes in the tubes'

"That's my cue," I say as I walk over to the tube.

"Good luck out there. See you in a few weeks, girl on fire," he says as the tube blacks out.

The platform rises as we are brought in the arena. The arena is pitching black, maybe for now. I look around, and see the metal plate underneath me. I make a mental note to stay on the plate. I remember years ago, a victor from nine, won his games by using the mines as a weapon. Their arena was a plain at the cornucopia, so during the sixty seconds, he took out his shoes and threw them in front of the careers' plate, causing them to explode. But I don't want to throw my pin away, first of all, it's Madge's. Second of all, it'll be destroyed.

All of a sudden the lights flash, and I'm staring at the golden glint of the cornucopia. All twenty-four tributes look at each other slightly. We stare at each other; some preparing to run, some preparing to fight, and some bracing themselves for their death. I look to my right to see the girl from seven and to my left is the boy from six. I look over the other twenty four, and see Peeta about five plates to mine. I shift my eyes towards the cornucopia. I see a sheath of arrows and a bow right beside the horn. I know that Haymitch said to leave the cornucopia as fast as possible, but I need a weapon. About ten yards away, I see a brown backpack. 'That'll be good for hiding' I think to myself as the time starts.

60... I look over at Peeta, who saw me glancing at the bow.

55... He shakes his head vigorously at me and I nod.

50... I decided that I'll get the backpack instead. I can't leave empty handed.

45... I have to start my position.

40... I see the careers with a smirk, and starting at their positions.

35... I see Peeta gesturing for me to run. I shake my head and fix my stance to go for the backpack.

25... I have decided on where I'll go.

20... I'll head to the beautiful lush forest to my right, other than the clear blue lake at my left.

15... I hear the mockingjays sing at the background as Peeta turns his attention to me.

10... This is it.

5... I need to go.

1... And a cannon sounded. A sudden frenzy of tributes run up to the cornucopia.

* * *

**Haymitch POV**

What is that girl doing? I told her specifically to stay off of the cornucopia. I look at my male tribute to see him running towards it too. I don't think he knows how much he loves that girl. I know that he told me he still hadn't broken up with his girlfriend back at twelve, but he said that Katniss felt so right. But he says that he can't put his hands on it. He says that he'll try to bring Katniss home. But why? He can't honestly put his life on the line for a girl who loves him, but hasn't even acted on it. He is so stupid. He doesn't even realize how much Katniss loves him too. They don't get each other.

I turn my attention towards the tributes and I see a total of five deaths so far. I look at Katniss who runs away from the cornucopia after nearly being killed by a knife. The knife hit the boy from nine instead. Oh Michael's not going to be happy about this. Michael was a victor of the sixty-eight, right after Gloss, winning at the remarkable age of twelve, being the first ever victor. He even managed to bring home three tributes in a row, from the seventy-first to the seventy-third, one of them being his twin.

I look over at him, to see his face red with anger spewing profanities in the air. I laugh at the scene as I turn my attention back to the screen. Katniss is doing alright, getting a meager supply from the cornucopia. I look over to Peeta's side to see him with the careers. What is he doing? I rewind a part of it to see that entire thing.

Peeta stalks the careers, not bringing a weapon up as the careers aim their weapons at him.

"_I have an offer. I'll help you find her, if you promise to let me live long enough to see it," _Pumpernickel says as the careers think it over.

"_We'll see. Jay, fight this guy," _Caro says to a big guy in the back. He's the district four male. I look over at Finnick and see him nodding at me. They fight and fight, with Peeta getting the upper hand. In a quick motion, he snaps the boys' neck, as the cannon sounded. I see the horror on the look of the girl as the other allowed him in. I shake my head. He doesn't know what he's getting himself into.

I turn my attention to Katniss to see her safely buckling herself up a tree, for some sleep. I glance at Peeta's screen and see him snoozing too.

They make me tired. I turn my attention to the death toll. Girl from three. Boy from four. Boy from five. Both from six. Both from seven. Both from eight. Boy from nine. Girl from ten. Eleven dead in the span of ten minutes. I shake my head and take a swig from my whiskey. This is going to be a long day. At least they're safe.

Without hesitation, I ask pinky to take over for now, as I head over to the side of my mentor quadrant, and slept at one of the beds. My mind drifting off into a soft slumber.

* * *

**(A/N): What do you think? I'll be putting more into Haymitch's POV so you guys can see how confused Peeta is. Yes he may be a two timing 'jerk'-ish right now, but I'll explain it in the very future chapters. **

**So... I got a little discourage to continue this story, after getting only one review from WizardChick4eva. The person's really awesome. She was the only one who reviewed the last chapter :)**

**I hope you guys liked it. More suprises at the story. There will be more original victors, who'll help Haymitch. Hope you guys will like it :)**

**-Lee**


	8. Chapter 8

**(A/N): Im so so sorry for not updating! I've been really busy! **

**Anyways, I've figured out a way to write while I'm bored at school. I'll just write at a pad then type it at night. This chapter's not one of those though, so...**

**Here's Chapter eight!**

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**Haymitch POV**

"No! I will not give her water, Effie!" I scream at the over-bubbly escort of district twelve. Effie was just forcing me to send the girl a pint of water. I look over at the screen to see her nearly dying of dehydration. I slam my fist at the table as I look over at the round table on my right side.

The mentor room is divided into sectors. Twelve sectors to be exact; with each division having two beds, three screens, a small round table showing the entire arena, including the other tributes, and a computer for managing the sponsors. I look at the small round table to see how close she is to the nearest water source.

"Just a few feet," I whisper under my breath as I watch my tribute starting to droop and crawl.

"Just send her the water!" Effie shrieked at me, and went on and on, about how I neglect my tributes, as I smashed my wine glass down, effectively shutting her up. I turn to face her and sigh.

"She's so near. Look," I gesture to the table. Just then, the girl started to walk up to the stream, noticing the patches of mud in the soils, as she purified and drank the water, thirstily.

"You see? I looked at out sponsor money. We have more than needed, but we need to save it for later," I say as I look over at the boy, who's with the Careers.

"_Hey lover boy," _The brute from two said. Lover boy, really? That's the best they can come up with?

"_What's up between you and the girl from your district? Why do you want to kill her now? I thought you were in love with her," _The boy continued.

"_You actually believe that? No, I don't love her. I have a girlfriend back at home,"_ The boy said. I feel a surge of anger in me. He's using the girl. I'm sure that the Capitol will cut it to make the star-crossed lovers thing work.

"What did he mean? Girlfriend?" I turn around to see Effie with her jaw dropped. I think about it and it came to my mind.

"He has a girlfriend back at home," I assured her as she sat down beside me.

"But I thought he was in love with Katniss?" Effie asked.

"I don't know. He heard when Katniss told me that she loved him, so he used that to his advantage; but if you ask me, I'd say that he really loves that girl," I say to Effie.

"How can you tell if he wants to kill her?" Effie asks.

"He told me that he never planned on winning. He was never a contender, he said. So he told me that, instead, he'll try to help Katniss survive," I say truthfully. I still remember it when he told me before the interviews; thus coming up with the star-crossed lovers act.

"Then why? Why is he telling everyone in Panem about him having a girlfriend and hating Katniss?"

"Because if he makes people hate him, they'll drop the money they spent on him. They'll go to Katniss who'll be a pity party when it comes," I pause. "He loves her, Effie. The problem is that something's wrong with him. Probably his witch of a mother," I say taking a sip of my glass as I watch Katniss strap herself in a tree.

* * *

**Katniss POV**

I count the number of cannons I heard the day before. I heard about ten to eleven. Now, they're showing the anthem play around the arena. People in the districts think that they're projecting a hologram, but to see it right now makes me believe that it's not. It's just a huge hovercraft with an equally huge screen.

I look at the death toll as the anthem started. The girl from three. No surprise that the careers made it. The boy from four; that's a bit of a shock considering he's a career. I wonder who killed him. The boy from five. Both from six, seven and eight. The boy from nine; the one I fought for the backpack. The girl from ten. Please don't continue, I plead in my head as the anthem ended.

I let out a soft sigh as now I know. The little girl from eleven and Peeta are safe. Thank God. I wonder where Peeta is. He told me that he likes me so that must count for something. I scratch my head at my inability to read people. I should've talked to more people. I kick myself in my head as I see smoke spewing from a spot, not a hundred yards far.

What kind of idiot will light a fire in the arena? It's not exactly big enough to be unseen. Even so, lighting a fire is like saying 'Hello! I'm here!'. It's like asking for your death bed. It's stupid. I wonder what kind of idiot would have done that. Maybe it's Peeta. No, it's not Peeta. He won't be stupid to do that. Haymitch specifically told us not to.

I wonder if I should head over to that person, to try and save him or her. Maybe even make an ally in the process. But no, this is the games. As much as it hurts me to think this, that person will have to die for district twelve to have a victor. Besides, if that person is stupid enough to do that, that person will be a liability, rather than an asset.

I think to myself as I hear a blood-curdling scream.

* * *

**Haymitch POV**

I'm interrupted from my focus by an angry grunt. Michael. He's never been this angry before, I see as I turn towards his station. I look at Katniss to see her noticing the fire. Good thing she's staying at her tree. I look over at Peeta to see him walking with the careers following the smoke trail.

"Argh! That stupid girl! She's going to get herself killed," Michael exclaimed as he banged his hand on the table. I can clearly see Alyssa and Bryan trying to calm him down as he exclaims at their tributes. Alyssa and Bryan are two of the three people Michael brought home with him. Alyssa won the seventy-second while Bryan won just last year. They try to calm him down as his twin hit a nerve. Literally.

'That's weird,' I thought to myself. Who knew that that was even possible?

I turn my attention to see Katniss looking at the air, seeing the dark and cloudy smoke, as she shook her head. It took me a few seconds to realize that I was doing that myself too. As much as I hate to admit it, we're alike in many ways. I sigh as I think that.

I turn my attention to the screen to see the careers flailing around a sword. I watched as their leader, Cato, stabbed the girl squarely to the chest. It leaves her alive, but only barely. I watched as they left the girl with the still smouldering fire. The girl's in agony as I hear a soft sob.

I looked to my left to see Alyssa sobbing for her near to death tribute. While I was passing by there, I saw the she had no funds. Pity. I think as I took a swig from my flask. I savour the taste of tequila in my mouth. I know I won't drink for awhile. These kids will keep me awake, but it might give me a break from mentoring. I sigh at the thought as I hear a few footsteps around me.

"The girl's good. She knows her stuff," I hear as I turned my back. It was Bryan. "She can win this. I'm not sure about the boy though. There's something weird about him. Like he's not stable," I give him a quizzical look. "Mentally, I mean," he finishes as I nod my head.

"One of them will win," I say as I turned my attention to the screen, only to see Peeta kneeling down the girl from nine.

"_Please, just kill me already,"_ the girl from nine sobs quietly as Peeta strokes her hair.

"_I'm sorry this happened to you. I promise, no one will be able to hurt you now,"_ he says as he took his knife. _"I can't do it. I can't kill you,"_ he says as he places his knife back to his bag.

I look at Alyssa who gives me a nod and presses a button. Within a second a parachute came down, with a small clear vial. There was a note attached that said, "This is poison. It's quick and painless. Make it quick. –A".

Peeta nods in understanding and gave the girl the vial. The girl took her last breath and closed her eyes. Peeta ultimately decided to go back to the careers with a sad face until he got to the careers.

"_Was she dead?"_ Glimmer asks.

"_She is now," _Peeta says as a cannon sound. I looked at Katniss' window to see her with a defeated look on her face. I can't blame her. Heartbreak does something to a person. It's cruel. Very.

I look down on my sponsors to see Katniss' increasing, while Peeta's decreasing. I shake my head. I just hope the careers will keep him longer. I heard them talk about killing him already.

"She's going to win, one way or another," Michael says as he sat beside me, taking a sip of his beer.

"How do you know?" I ask curtly.

"Because I'm me; and if she can get her hands on a weapon, she can, even more." He says.

"Haymitch, what's wrong with the boy? First, he tells the people he loves her, then he says he has a girlfriend. What's going on?" Bryan asks as I took another swig. I take a deep breath and explain.

"Katniss loves Peeta, and Peeta loves Katniss. He just doesn't know it yet. If you're at our district and you see him with his girlfriend, you can clearly see that it's a loveless relationship; on Peeta's part that is. But when you see him looking at Katniss, there's love. It's like something's..." I trail off. I can't really explain it. It's a weird thing, if you ask me. Something must've happened between the two of them. I can't help but think what.

I shake my head as I hear an unfamiliar voice behind me.

"Mr. Abernathy, Claudius Templesmith and Caesar Flickerman requests an interview at four," I wave him off and looked at the clock. It's three-thirty. I stood up and nodded my head. I can't refuse.

"Watch my tributes for me, 'kay?" I say to the four as they nodded.

"Of course," Michael says as he took my seat and spun around in a childish manner.

I'm standing at the backstage, waiting to be introduced and be called. I know, for a fact, that they'll ask about their actions. I can just tell them the truth or lie. Lie or maybe I'll just stretch the truth. Yes, that's good. I'll stretch the truth. I smile myself cleverly as they introduced me.

"Let's welcome to the stage, a victor who not only beat twenty-three but forty-seven participants. The victor of the fiftieth hunger games, Haymitch Abernathy," he announces as I pull on the biggest smile I can muster and walk.

The crowd's reaction was greater than I expected. I thought that near to none would even clap for me. I shake the thought from my head as I sat down on the chair across the table, which sat Claudius and Caesar. What's with the C's?

"First of all, I would like to congratulate you for both of your tributes making it past the bloodbath," Claudius says as I nod my head in approval.

"Now, about Peeta's actions. He said he had a girlfriend back at home. Is that true?" He says as I shake my head and laugh.

"No no," I deny. "He said that so the careers would trust him. It was actually stupid for the careers to believe him," I say. I give a small victory party in my head as the crowds cheer. They're so shallow. I'm killing two birds with one stone here. I'm getting the two of them sponsors, while bashing the careers. I can only imagine what the career mentors would think. That'll be hilarious.

Caesar laughs, excessively with Claudius for the rest of the time. They usually ask about what they're tactics are, and I as a good mentor, leaves the people to want the two of them. They're so gullible, I think as I went back to control room to see Katniss, with a massive wall of fire.

* * *

**(A/N): There you go! A short explanation of... stuff... :D**

**Chapter nine's already done and will only need to be typed, yet it might take a while to upload.**

**Anyways, please review for a faster upload. I really need them! :) They're the lifeline of my story so. please.**

**Besides, fanfiction made it easier to review so.. please leave one no matter how short. :D**

**-Lee XD**


	9. Chapter 9

**(A/N): Sorry for having a very late update, again. Sorry. I've just been really busy with school and all.**

**Anyways, please read the authors note after this :)**

* * *

**Haymitch POV**

Another trick of the gamemakers, a wall of fire, is a play on words with the girl's title. I turn my attention to the tribute panel to see her getting closer and closer to the careers with every step she takes. They're driving them together.

I watch as she runs into a lake, the wall of fire doused. I look upon the screen to see Katniss swiftly running away from the careers. She takes refuge on a tree as the careers unsuccessfully pursue her.

"_How's it going up there?"_ Cato, the brute from district two, said with a hint of victory in his eyes.

"_A bit warm for my taste,"_ said Katniss, mockingly. Her eyes fall on the camera, smirking, and I smile. She's giving them a good show, like I told her. As she's up in the tree, mocking them, I turn my attention to the tribute panel.

I can clearly see the small dot with an eleven at the side, close to Katniss' tree. Maybe she can distract the careers, maybe. But knowing Chaff, he won't risk it. Seeder might, but not Chaff. He takes the life of his tributes seriously, despite his drunken nature. I turn my attention to the screen, to see Katniss eyeing Peeta, who's maintaining a straight face; but I know him well enough that he's hiding his face which would be filled with worry, right now. Oh well.

"_Why don't we wait, down here? She has to come down soon,"_ The boy suggested. It makes great logic. _"She has to come down for food, or else she'll starve,"_ Peeta says, answering the looks he has received from the careers.

"_Fine! Someone light a fire,"_ two said, disappointed and defeated, in his voice. What is with these careers? Are they really heartless?

Yet again, it's not their fault. It's the capitol's fault , brainwashing their minds to enjoy killing.

I remember my games when the three careers cornered me in that small clearing, leading up to a mountain. With my sweaty hands, barely gripping on the nearby knife, the careers laughed at me. I have no hope. Still, I won't give them the satisfaction by giving up.

The boy from four lunged at me, spear in hand, as the two laughed. I dodged his lousy attack and wrapped my hands around his neck. With a quick and swift motion, I took my knife, and slit his throat. He fell to the ground with a loud thud as the cannon sounded. This shut the two careers up. I look at them to see that it's the other boy from four and the girl from one.

They look at me with shocked faces. The girl lunged at me as I swiftly evaded it, and plunged my knife into her heart, while the cannon sounded. I snap my 'signature smirk' as I feel a sharp sting on my shoulder. I look and see a knife. The boy must have thrown it at me. The realization came to me as I get pinned to the ground. This is one of the moments that had forever haunted my memories. When the green eyes met my grey ones, I saw my life flash before me. I close my eyes, prepared for the blow, but it never came. I hear a cannon sound and wonder. Was that mine? Am I dead? I don't feel any different. In fact, I feel a sharp tug.

"_Are you getting up?"_ A cool voice said. I snapped my eyes open. _"or do I have to kill you too?"_ It was Maysilee.

I turn my attention to the screen to see Katniss with a burnt leg from the fire. How I never noticed that, I don't know. I zoom in on the burn and gasp. It won't heal fast. It needs medicine. I turn my focus to the sponsor screen. We have enough, three-fourths of amount it took to send Odair the trident. I take a glance at Peeta's screen to see nearly no money, with nearly everything on Katniss. It worked. His plan worked. Without a doubt on my mind, I press the red button and saw the burn cream land immediately on Katniss' branch.

'Thank you, Haymitch," she mouths, and applies the burn cream.

* * *

**Katniss POV**

I look at the branch beside me to see a parachute. Haymitch sent me something. I precariously stay on the edge of the branch as I took the small package. I feel my leg sting of the burn as I went back to my original position. I looked at the container. It contains a burn cream ointment. Perfect.

'Thank you, Haymitch," I mouth as I applied the salve, generously, immediately feeling a cool, and tingly sensation on my leg. It feels a radiant cold as opposed to the burning feeling I felt, only a few minutes ago.

I turn my attention to the trees and felt a slight pain on my lower abdomen. Due to the happenings in the day, I must not have noticed my need for food. I grab my backpack and rummaged for food. I eat some left over rabbit from the night over as I sat back on the trunk.

I look down to see Peeta staring right at me. I just ignore him. I can't believe him. After everything that has happened in the past few days in the training centre. He was doing it to kill me. I feel stupid. I should've known that. Right now, I just want to take the bow and arroe from Glimmer and shoot him, myself. I hate them. I hate them all.

The day ended fast. Until now, the careers have yet to get me down. Glimmer, the girl from one, tried to shoot me a few times to no avail, but mine. I managed to get the arrow which stuck in the branches. For a girl who spent three days in the station, she's pretty lousy. Her stature is wrong, her stance is wrong; heck, even her handle is off.

I was about to rest when I saw something moving in the branches of an adjacent tree. I look nearer to see the little girl from eleven, stalking the trees. It's Rue. I gave her a questioning look as she pointed to something above me. I looked up to hear buzzes. Bees? Wasps? I can't really tell until I saw a small silver lining on its tail. Tracker Jackers. We see these at home. Gale and I used to avoid these the most. They can cause really weird hallucinations and visions. This one time the Gale got stung by one, he wasn't ablt to hunt for days. What would she want me to do with that?

I look over to her, to see her making a sawing motion. She wants me to cut is. If I do, the careers will surely be injured, or dead, if I'm luck. But doing so, it might also kill Peeta. Can I really try to kill him?

I came into the games knowing that I will save him; but due to recent events, I couldn't really care less about that plan. I will cut it. It will be noisy but I can do it during the anthem. The anthem will block out the sounds of my actions.

The day ended fast. Too fast for my liking. The anthem begins as I saw. It works. The anthem drowns out the sound of my sawing. If I can't do this, I'll die. If I do this, can I really live with the fact that I killed these kids, with families and loved ones. Can I really kill him knowing that I never repaid him for my debt? I can't believe that I'm stuck in between these two crossroads. I ponder on what will happen if he dies. Will I tune out like my mother? I know I shouldn't be mad but I can't bring myself to kill him. Maybe I can just, not look. Yes that'll work. Just then, the anthem ended. I am halfway done, by the looks of it. I'll wait until dawn; then I'll set the tracker jackers on the careers.

* * *

**Haymitch POV**

I look over the screen, watching intently, as Katniss wakes up and continues sawing.

"That's quite a tribute you have. Mine were obviously bloodbaths," a voice said behind me, effectively disturbing me. I look over to see Michael staring at me.

"I know," I say like it's a matter of fact.

"They'll win, or at least she'll win," he says as he left the room. Why did he even say it? What's his problem? Maybe because his tributes lost, but. Who knows?

I look over at the screen to see hell unleashed on the tributes. They wake up in an instant to the sound of buzzing.

"_To the lake! To the lake!"_ said a voice, urgently. It's bread boy. They followed him to the lake as a cannon sounded. I look over the other screen to see the bloated figure of the blond from one. It's amazing how much has changed from the giggly girl, to the bloated girl. I laugh at the thought. I know it's not something you should be happy about, but I can't wait to use that one on Cashmere.

I look back on the screen to see Peeta carrying Katniss, who's partially unconscious, holding a bow and arrow.

"_There you are," _the boy from on growled as he lunged at the boy. The two fought until a spear from one, attacked Peeta's shoulder. This is not good. Katniss managed to stir and stand up. Upon seeing the two, she took an arrow and shot the boy from one in the neck. A cannon sounded, and the boy from one is dead. I look at the death toll. Three deaths in a span of a few minutes. That must be a new record.

I yawn as I begin to feel tired. I take a last look on the screen before I lied down. It was Peeta hugging Katniss closer to him, a bandage on his shoulder, as he kissed her forehead.

I knew it.

* * *

**(A/N): Thanks for reading :) Hope you liked what I did :)**

**Sorry for the short chapter :(**

**Special thanks to my beta, Pau Trinidad:) he fixed it and all :)**

**Please view my profile. Please. For the reminders, plans, and extra notes. Please go there :)**

**Comments? Suggestions? Violent Reactions? Please leave a review. Now that fanfic made it easier for leaving one and all. :D**

**-Lee**


	10. Chapter 10

**(A/N):Hiya! How are you guys? **

**I'd like to thank those that reviewed for my past few chapters. It's really great. They really keep me going. This chapter is the longest one I've written for this story :) 3000k words :) That's the fruit of being bored in school.**

**Anyways so my beta couldn't edit it because he's sick so I did my best to do it. **

**I worked really hard writing this on paper just to type it again because I did this at school. That way, I could update faster.**

**Enjoy reading, and don't feel shy to review afterwards. ;)**

* * *

**Haymitch POV**

"Mister Abernathy, mister Flickerman requests your presence," a Capitol attendant peeked through the gap in my door. I scoff at him and wave my hand, curtly.

"It's not like I can refuse, can I?" I say, sarcastically. I get out of my chair and took a last look at my monitor. I see Peeta hunting to no avail. I look as he tries to throw a knife at a walking rabbit; it barely stuck on its body. It's not enough for it to die instantly, but it drops dead seconds after it stuck.

"Yes!" He exclaimed, his hand, raised in victory. He immediately covers his mouth, realizing his position. I try to suppress my laughter at the sight, he is so childish. No, scratch that. He is childlike. There is a difference between the two. My smile fades as I look at Katniss' screen. She is deep in her sleep, still under the effect of the tracker jackers. Too bad their funds will be depleted greatly if I send it to them. They have to do better if they really want it. The boy's cuddling with the girl isn't enough for their funds to handle the amount.

"Mister Abernathy, mister Flickerman is waiting," the attendant says. I change my clothes within seconds and took a swig of whisky from my flask. Though I made them a promise, I can't seem to fulfil that; I have to drink. I will try my best though. I won't just let them die. Every time I get on that stage, I always remember the time when I was crowned victor.

* * *

It was one of my worst days when I was crowned the victor of the second quarter quell. It was the morning of my interview when I first woke up. My stylist, Tigris, went into my hospital room quietly. Though she should be happy that I won, she seemed almost solemn. With her orange hair and catlike features, it would be difficult to think that she is even human. She opens her mouth to speak but no words come out. She seemed to hesitate for a moment, before she brings up a toothy grin and started to work on me for my interview.

When you see me after she's worked on me, I look like a miracle. With my face caked under layers of make-up and my body covered by like five layers of thick clothing. I feel like I'm carrying a ton of bricks with every step.

"You will get used to it," she says in a croaky voice. I raise my eyebrows in suspicion at her until she shows me a mirror. That sight is what I call a miracle. The cold and shivering boy I was, wearing the tattered clothing of his father, is now replaced by a young man with clothes that could save an entire family or two from hypothermia during the winter days in the districts. It makes me sick knowing that the amount of clothing a single man wears a day is even greater than that of a Seam family. It sickens me.

I am brought to the backstage by my stylist and my escort. You see, I never had a proper mentor. The old victor of district twelve died two years before the second quarter quell. He died of poison or something. I hear the blares of the trumpets and the explosion of confetti cannons on the stage, effectively knocking me out of my thoughts. I stand in place as I hear my name being called out by the new host, Caesar Flickerman. I release a breath I did not know I was holding, hearing a red beep. I take a deep breath and faked a smile, when I saw the curtains move east and west exposing me to all of Panem. I walk nervously to a chair I was assigned while ignoring the fake cheers and plastic faces of the Capitol people. "I hate them so much," a voice inside my head resounded. They are all so fake. I walk for what seems like hours and before I know it, I'm seated on a soft velvet chair, face-to-face with Caesar Flickerman, the host of the hunger games.

"So Haymitch," he pauses, waiting for the crowd's cheering to die down. When they do, he opens his mouth to speak. "Congratulations on your victory," he congratulates me. "So much for a victory," I say in my head. If it weren't for my fake smile right now, I would've actually said that. I pause for a few seconds until Caesar snaps me back to reality.

"Oh yeah, thank you," I responded briefly. I want to get this over with as soon as possible. I flash a concise grin until we got on to the replays.

"What were you thinking of while you were at the pod?" He asked me, referring to the start of the games. I turn my attention to the screen to see me eyeing the bag nearest to me.

"I was thinking that I have to be really focused and that a few kids will die, that there will be families weeping for their children," I say bluntly. I look at him to see a look of slight shock on his – seem to be plastered—smile. "But I will not be one of those people," I add quickly, following the awkward pause which came right after my reply. The crowd cheers at my comment and Caesar continued the tape. It shows me mainly wandering the beautiful and toxic arena, wielding the knife I had in case of other tributes or surprises the gamemakers could throw. I pay little attention to Caesar's small comments until one statement caught my attention.

It was about Maysilee. I turn my attention to the giant screen and saw her blowing the darts that saved my life. It shows my face then it pauses. I look over to Caesar to see him smiling. No surprise there.

"What were you thinking before she blew those darts?" Caesar questions me about it. I don't really want to think about it. It's still too painful. Maysilee was like one of my best friends. She was the friend of my girl.

"I was getting ready for death," I say truthfully with my words instantaneously making his smile falter by at least five percent; that's high enough percentage for the Capitol.

"Oh well I guess you were lucky," he said as he opened his mouth to speak. "What was your relation before the games that made you trust each other fast?" he questions me.

"We didn't," I lie smoothly. "You know, just being from the same district makes you look at them as a part of home. My token didn't really do that job well," I continue my lie, touching my jewel ring which came from my mother.

"Oh that's why," he says, continuing the tape. It had everything from my fames. From the moment she told me how she places poison on her darts as a weapon, to her death; everything. It's too painful seeing everyone I saw on the training centre; the small terrified kids who had their families and friends who loved them, all of them, gone. And the worst part of it, is that their cameras were position everywhere, even in front of their faces. You could see the light leave their eyes, whilst they lost consciousness; while they lose their life.

"What were you thinking of while the girl from one was playing the who-lasts-longer game with you?" he asks me, with the tape coming to an end.

"I was waiting for the axe to come back and kill her. I figure that she's already too weak to avoid it," I state. He nods in agreement and continued the video. Almost immediately, he stopped the tape as soon as my victory was announced.

"How did you know that the axe would come back?" He asks me, briefly after he stopped the video. I think for a moment wondering if they are really stupid to not know. Believing it was a rhetorical question, I remained quiet. He raised his eyebrows expectantly and my eyes widen. "So it wasn't rhetorical..."A voice said in my head.

"I was experimenting with it awhile ago, remember," I gesture to the screen. "When I kicked the rock, it hit me in the head remember?" I ask him and he nods. "So I figured that there was a force field so I used it to my advantage," I say coolly, earning me cheers from the Capitol audience.

"What a smart victor!" He exclaimed and flashed me a huge smile. "Congratulations to the victor of the fiftieth hunger games and the second quarter quell, all the way from district twelve, Haymitch Abernathy!" He exclaimed and the crowd goes wild for my victory. They are so despicable. Celebrating my victory is technically the same as enjoying the deaths of forty-seven children with families, friends, and loved ones. He raises my hand in victory. In an instant, the putrid aroma of roses and blood enters my nostrils. President Snow.

He walks down from his throne and was handed a crown. He walks up to me and it takes everything in me to hold my lunch together.

"You are so lucky," he tells me, bringing his hands up and placing the crown on my head. "That was quite the trick you did with the force field," he praises me, even though I know that that is fake. "This isn't over," he says and turned his back on me without another word. What does he mean? What did he mean that this isn't over?

"Congratulations to Haymitch Abernathy," the president stated and left while the crowd went wild. Caesar shakes my hand a complimented my as my stylist and escort brought me to a limousine for me to be on my way to the after party.

* * *

It wasn't until after the party that my heart sank to my knees. I think, watching Enobaria and Brutus being interviewed by Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith. They're talking about how their tributes are constantly bickering with each other. Figures. Careers are too stubborn.

* * *

"Haymitch, can I come in?" Tigris asks, peeking through the door. It's not like I can say no can I? She cautiously walks in and sat beside me. "I have some really bad news," she tells me and I look at her. With the light of my room, her feline features are highlighted and accented making her look like a real feline. It freaks me out, but seeing for she has been like my mentor before and while I've been in the arena. "Are you ready?" She asks me and I nod. I sit down comfortably on my chair and she starts talking. "Yesterday at district twelve, there was an explosion in the mines," she says.

"Yeah, so? There are explosions every after a few months," I say nonchalantly. It's true; in my lifetime, there have been at least thirty mine explosions, minor ones though.

"There was an explosion, and your brother was caught in it. He was apparently underground for their school trip," she says. I gulp loudly as I feel my unwelcomed tears showing up. "Not my brother," I think to myself. Of all people in the world, why my brother? He's the nicest boy in the world. "I'm not done," she says pressing her lips together in an instant. "When your mother came to the site, there was another explosion," she says solemnly. I look up to meet her gaze. "She's gone," she says and tears came no full blast. They were my hope. They're the reason I wanted to live past the arena. Without a second thought, I run outside the room and went to the edge of the train, feeling the cool wind slap my face. I have every intention of jumping off the train. I have nobody. I am about to jump when Tigris comes in and stops me.

"What about her?" She asks me. I stop myself and used the rails to regain and maintain my balance. Tigris is the only one I have trusted in the Capitol. She's the only one who I've bothered to tell about my life. "Come one. Let's go inside," she said, escorting me inside. When I got to my room, I broke down. I feel nothing but sadness and despair as the thoughts that kept on escalating in my head will refuse to go away. My thoughts eventually came to her and I'm relieved, even with what I just heard. I spend the rest of my time in the train in my room, in solitude. On more than one occasion, I have been asking for a lot of coffee. The nightmares are always there when I wake up. It's too much for a sixteen year old to handle.

* * *

"Let us welcome, the victor of the fiftieth hunger games, and mentor of the star-crossed lovers from district twelve, Haymitch Abernathy," the voice of Caesar Flickerman resounded around the stadium while the curtains move east and west, and I am asked to sit down on a chair next to him. I sat down curtly, making myself comfortable and looked at him.

"So Haymitch, been awhile since I've seen you here," he states the obvious and I fake a smile. I have to get them more sponsors. I have to look like I could handle their money well and that I'm happy being in their presence.

"I know Caesar," I say, nodding my head. "It's been like twenty-four years, Caesar," I say.

"Long time, isn't it!" He exclaimed and the audience laughs. I give a smile watching Caesar part his mouth to speak. "You have quite the tributes this year," he says and I nod. "Did you hear about the possible rule change?" He says adn I pay closer attention. There's a rule change? "You are obviously uninformed!" He shouts. "They're allowing two victors this time as long as they're from the same district," In his words, I get up, grab his arms and do a happy dance. I hear the audience laugh, whilst I settle him down on his chair. For the record, I am doing this to get them sponsors. Make them happy and that will surely get them some sponsors. Good idea, huh?"

We spend the rest of the interviews joking around and I promote them as much as I could. I tell them of how she's a survivor and how the boy is a true romantic. I just hope they stay true to my words. I have no idea on how to get them to be romantic. Hopefully, I won't have to try

* * *

**Katniss POV**

I wake up to the feeling of a soft fabric below me. I try to squirm from my current position successfully and sat up. Upon sitting up, I feel a small stinging pain on my forehead. I feel my head with my hand only to feel a fever. Great. I'm in the arena and I'm coming down with a fever. I remember some fever pills I had in my pack when the past events came to me. Peeta saved me? I thought he did not really like me? Why would he save me? Just then, I hear loud footsteps from a distance and grabbed my bow and arrows. I fixated an arrow on my bow and prepared to shoot when a wet Peeta, spear in hand, walks in with a bunch of fish impaled on a stick. My eyes widened, but I refused to bring my weapon down.

"You're awake," he tells me with a smile. He puts his weapons down and I followed suit. He grabs some fish and placed it on some hot embers located near the lowest part of the cave. "If you don't trust me, that's okay," he states, sitting down on the far corner of the cave.

"Why were you with the careers?" The words came out uninvited from my mouth. I did not really mean to ask him so quickly. I don't want to trust him. He got my trust and he trampled on it.

"I knew that you'd ask me that," he says nonchalantly, taking a small bite from a fish and passed it to me. I eye him suspiciously and he nods. "To show you that I'm not poisoning you," he says while I take a bite from the fish. "I was trying to help you," he answers my previous question and takes a bite from his own fish.

"How was that helping me?" I question him straight away.

"I was trying to get them away from you," he says. "I wanted you to get away from them ever since you made yourself their bulls eye in their target," he finishes.

"Why?" I ask him.

"I think you know why," he looks down and took my pin from the ground. He hands it to me and he moves closer to me. "I never lied to you," he whispers. We stay in comfortable silence until darkness fell. In between those times, we've been sorting which one's poisonous and which ones are edible. During those times, I refuse to meet his eye. I don't want to fall as hard as I did before.

I shiver as a cold wind makes my skin shudder. I instantly feel warm arms surround me. I look up to see Peeta. "Comfortable?" He asks and I nod. I know that it won't last tough. We are in the arena, but I'll treasure it will I still can. I am about to drift off into sleep when I hear the blared of cannons. "The anthem." Peeta tells me.

There are no deaths for today, but after the anthem, it didn't really stop. Meaning, the anthem did not fade from the night sky. Instead, I hear Caesar's voice.

"Congratulations to the remaining tributes! There has been a slight rule change. There could be two victors, as long as they are from the same district," he repeats the announcement once more but I refuse to look up. When I did, I am greeted by a pair of warm lips touch min, instantaneously feeling warmth course through my body.

"About my words a while ago about not letting myself get attached, I will, just for now," I think to myself as I answer the kiss with same ferocity he gives me.

* * *

**(A/N): Thanks for reading! Hope I didn't miss anything :)**

**I'm working on a new story called "The Shadows of Their Eyes". It's a story from Lorien Legacies. Please read it when I release it. It will be published in a few days. **

**Please leave a review for me tell me how I did for any comments, suggestions, or negative reactions and to the guests out there, please either log in or put a name. :)**

**Trust me when I say, I have a lot of plans for this story. There'll be more plot twists and stuff like that. :)**

**Anyways, please please please review, look at my profile, and see you all next time :)**

**-Lee**


	11. Chapter 11

**(A/N): Hi! First time I updated within a 7 day period :)). **

**Thank you for all the reviews! I appreciated every one of them. But c'mon guys, for 159 visitors, only 6 people reviewed? :( That makes me sad. Come to think of it, the number of reviews have been dwindling down...**

**Anyways, hope you enjoy it :)**

* * *

**Haymitch POV**

My eyes widened in joy at the announcement. "Yes!" I shout at the top of my voice upon hearing it. I stand up from my current position and took a swig out of my flask. It almost tastes nothing to me. I lick my lips to taste some of the Tequila which have yet to enter my mouth. I immediately sit down and look at my tributes to see that their lips are already linked to the each others. I head a slight beep from the monitors only to see their funds increase tremendously. It goes up enough for their funds to be able to handle one small tube of tracker jacker paste cure. Without a second thought, I press the button which sent them their needs. In an instant, a small tube dropped on their current location. They look up at joy and mouthed a 'thank you', applying the contents swiftly.

"Bad move, Haymitch," a voice behind me said. I look at the source of the voice to see Michael, casually leaning on the frame of the door. I eye him suspiciously and he opens his mouth. "There were some Olivine leaves near their cave," he informs me and I raise my eyebrow. "If you chew it like how eleven did it, you could take the venom out of your system by applying it on the bite," he informs me and I nod.

"I believe in my decisions, Michael. They wouldn't even know how to use it. I can't exactly send a note, can I?" he nods at my words and sat beside me. "What do you want?" I ask him curtly.

"Nothing. I just ought to tell you to be careful," he tells me and leaves. "That guy just keeps on getting weirder," I muttered. I look at the sponsor tab to see their funds extremely increasing. "What?" I say. I'm confused. I look at their screen and it answers my suspicion. I see them as they lock their lips passionately in a long kiss. I hear the beeps of the sponsor tab and I look to see that they've already regained what they have lost. I smile at the sight until it stops beeping. I look over to the screen to see Katniss break the kiss.

"We need to hunt," she tells him and the boy nods in agreement. I don't get it. They boy can't hunt to save his life. My suspicion is answered as Katniss opens her mouth to speak. "I know you can't hunt well. So Just gather, but don't eat it. It might be poisonous," she tells the boy who is nodding in understanding of her statement.

* * *

**Katniss POV**

Peeta nods in understanding as we stood up to gather our materials. While grabbing my bow, I wonder, "Who died while I was asleep?" The words came out uninvited from my nearly dry lips. I lick them wet and grabbed my quiver.

"Girls from one and four died," he tells me, grabbing his knife. Before I could open my mouth to speak, I hear a cry for help.

"Help! Help! Help!" Prim's voice resounded in my ears. I look at Peeta in shock. What's Prim doing here? He seems to think the same thing and we bolt out of our cave as fast as our legs could take us.

I move through the forest, narrowly avoiding missteps and huge roots. I hear the voice coming closer and before I know it, I see a small figure trapped in a net. I run swiftly to the figure and cut down the rope. When I get a clearer view of her, I don't see Prim. Instead I see Rue, the little girl from eleven. She quivers in fear, seeing the sight of me.

"I'm not going to hurt you," I say instinctively, seeing my sister in her shivering form. She looks at me, fear present in her eyes, as her eyes fall on someone behind me. I look up to see Peeta's serene blue eyes.

"Come on," Peeta tells her, obviously knowing how she reminds me of Prim. She walks up to him cautiously, still wearing her untrusting her eyes. It then falls on me and the doubts in her eyes disappear. She walks up to us faster and smiles. She mumbles something inaudible and looks up at us. We raise our eyebrows expectantly and she opens her mouth to speak what she said not a few seconds ago.

"Let's go?" she asks us and we nod towards the place of our cave. We walk in relative silence, her trailing behind us, when we reach our cave. We then improved the dying embers and placed it in the middle of the cave, careful not to be burned. I look at her eagerly and took a groosling leg from my bag to give to her.

"A whole groosling leg? For me?" She asks us with her big brown eyes, her smile as big as Peeta's from our offer of the groosling leg. I nod at her smile while we eat our lunch in relative peace and quiet.

We finish our lunch in of groosling and berries when Peeta spoke up.

"Why did you get caught in that net? I thought you stayed up in the trees," he said, genuinely curious. She puts away her last piece of groosling and opened her mouth to answer Peeta's queries about her.

"I was trying to light a fire, and then I picked up a branch. Turns out, it was a human snare," she informs us. Peeta and I look at each other in confusion. Why would she light a fire? The question reigns in my head as Peeta asks my speculations.

"Why were you lighting a fire? That will get you killed," Peeta says nonchalantly.

"I was trying to distract the careers so I could run to their supplies while they check my fire. I was going to destroy their supplies," She informs us and claps her hand, getting rid of the small particles of food on her hands.

"How will you destroy it? Won't it have a guard?" I ask her, curious.

"They do. The boy from three but he's not much of a threat. He can't even throw a spear without falling down," she informs us. "The careers have their supplies in this huge pyramid. I figured, I could probably set fire to it," she smiles at us.

"That's a brilliant idea!" Peeta exclaimed looking at me with a glint of happiness in his eyes. "Don't you see, Katniss? The careers can't hunt for their life! They don't know how to survive without their supplies!" He exclaimed causing Rue to jump up.

"So you'll help me?" She asks with her huge brown eyes. It was just like Prim's big blue eyes when she's genuinely happy. Come to think of it, it's not really a bad idea. It will definitely make them more vulnerable and they won't last a day without their supplies. It will also boost the amount of sponsors we could have. I nod in agreement to her suggestion and her face lights up just like how Prim's face does. She like Prim in so many ways.

"Great! Let's plan," Peeta says, clapping his hands and standing up.

* * *

**Haymitch POV**

"What are your kids playing at?" Chaff asks me from the confines of his room.

"What?" I ask him, really curious at his words. "They're just helping her,"

"I can see that but why are they doing it is my question," he questions me. I open my mouth to speak but a croaky voice cuts me off.

"Don't question him, Chaff. It's Rue's choice," Seeder, a fifty-nine year old victor cuts me off. "Thank you for your tributes, Haymitch. That Clove kid heard little Rue's scream," she informs me. I nod at her and I look at the monitor.

I see them coming up with a plan to set fire to the supplies of the careers. Turns out, little Rue is actually an asset instead of a liability. I smile to myself as they start gathering green wood to make a huge smoke that will distract the careers long enough for Katniss and Peeta to set the career's supplies on fire. Peeta? He's too slow.

"It'll never work," says a gruff voice behind me. I turn my head around to see Brutus. I can't believe he's still the mentor. What's wrong with him? There are so many younger victors from his district.

"We'll find out when it happens," I respond turning my head back to the screen. I hear the footsteps get more silent and with that, I know that he's back to his own control room in the opposite side of the huge control panel. I let out a breath and I finished my flask which was filled with scotch. I focus on the screen as they start eating dinner. I order some food while they eat theirs and listened to what they're feeding the audience.

"So Rue, why didn't you look for Thresh?" Peeta asks, taking a bite out his rabbit leg. Rue finishes munching on her piece and opens her mouth to talk.

"I was. It just wasn't the top of my priority," she says. "I wanted to immobilize the careers before I looked for him," she continued. Katniss and Peeta take in what she said, me doing the same. "Won't the boy be able to helpe?" I think. Katniss and I seemed to have thought of the same thing, for she asked the same question. "He's too big. He'll slow me down," she says, looking at Peeta.

"How 'bout me? Won't I be too slow? Or loud?" Peeta asks and Rue nods. "What do I do then?" Peeta asks Rue who shrugs.

"Maybe you can camouflage the cave more and us," she gestures to her and Katniss, "So we won't be seen while hiding," she finishes.

"Fine," Peeta says sadly. I would be too if that's all I could do. I take a deep breath while they prepare for bed. Rue lies down on a small makeshift plant bed in the near edge of the cave while Katniss and Peeta lies down on their sleeping bag, Peeta gives Katniss a kiss goodnight. I called Michael from nine and asked him to take over while I sleep. He nods his head and sat down on a chair near the panel, while I lie down on a nearby bed.

"You're lucky I like your tributes," I hear him mutter as I fall asleep.

* * *

I feel a gust of wind slap my face, making me realize that I'm dreaming. I looked around my surroundings and saw that I'm currently in a lush meadow, like the one back at District Twelve, and I am greeted by a small figure wrestling my feet, to no avail.

"Haymitch!" A small voice said, emanating from the small figure. I turn to him and smile.

"Joseph," I say plainly as I tackle him and tickled him. He laughs loudly and asks me to stop. I stop tickling him and see my reflection. That's when I realized that there's mirror in front of me. I'm shocked.

I'm back to my sixteen years old self. I turn my attention to my brother for a second and when I look at the mirror, it's gone.

"Haymitch! You're back," he exclaimed as I hug him tightly. I haven't seen him in about twenty years. I destroyed all his and mother's photos in an effort to forget their deaths at the hands of Snow. They have also stopped going to my dreams.

I hug him tightly, hearing nimble footsteps coming from a distance. I look up to see my mother. My eyes widen while I jump up to my mother's arms. She hugs me tightly and my brother joins in on the hug. I feel tears swell up in my eyes, an effort of wanting their presence.

"Wake up, Haymitch," mother says to me and I look up at her. In a blink of an eye, they're both gone. And I'm seeing all black.

* * *

"Wake up!" I hear a female voice say, immediately feeling a slap to my face. My eyes snapped wide open to see Michael and Mikayla. "There you go," she says leaving the room. I eye him suspiciously and he shrugs.

"You would've been knocked out," he says, while I roll my eyes. "They're awake," he tells me and I snap back to my chair. I sit down curtly to see them preparing for their plan. They re-briefed the plan but one thing is wrong. Peeta's going against it. He argues that he can't just sit around doing nothing, as Rue and Katniss explained that he'll just slow them down. Peeta argues and refuses to lose.

"If I were you, I'll send some sleep syrup to the girl. Just enough for about three hours," Michael tells me. "She could put it in some of those berries," he gestures to the berries on Katniss backpack. I nod in agreement as Katniss walked out.

Without a doubt on my mind, I send the sleep syrup. Katniss gets the sleep syrup from the parachute immediately and understood what I meant. The dosage will only take three hours so she better be quick. I placed all this in a small note and she understood what I meant. She took the berries from her backpack and placed the syrup.

"Look Peeta, some syrup," she tells Peeta. She gives it to him as she told him that she'll prepare a new batch. Peeta eats the syrup and he's out like a light. Rue walked in, shocked and asked Katniss what she did. "I gave him some sleep syrup since he wouldn't give in. Let's go," she says and they left the cave.

They moved swiftly within the forest and separated ways. Katniss stayed on the place where she was told by Rue, and waited.

* * *

**Katniss POV**

I waited in silence as I waited for the first fire to be lit. I'm still feeling guilty because I knocked Peeta out. I remind myself that it's for our good and that squished at least a part of my guilt. I still feel at least a bit.

My mind drifts off to Rue. How music is the best thing in her life. How she told me that Thresh saved her all those years. It also reminds me how she was nearly punished by the District Eleven peacekeepers for dropping a basket of fruit. It reminded me how this small little girl is how everyone is. We're just a speck of dust that the Capitol could get rid of. It reminds me that the Capitol is in power. I hate it. Just hate it.

I also hate the fact that District Twelve is dispensable to the eyes of the Capitol. We don't give them power. That's from five. We don't give them heat. That's from one and three. We don't give them anything at all. Maybe that's why we're so off, compared to the other districts. Why we have the worst peacekeepers and the least amount of victors in District Twelve compared to other districts. That also reminds me how Eleven has the strictest peacekeepers. It shows that we're the ones feeding the capitol while they handle the military, and everyone believes it.

But we don't need the military. We're in the ruins of a once great civilization. The other civilizations around us have come and gone. The military isn't for the protection of the districts; it's to keep us intact.

As I'm thinking these thoughts, the first smoke shows up. I hear the scuffle of the two remaining careers, I look at their pyramid. Just when I'm about to go out of my hiding place, I see a jet of red hair running to the pyramid. She tiptoes around it like it's some sort of mine. She missteps and holds on to a baggage like it's her lifeline. She tiptoes more around and grabbed some packs, leaving with the District Three boy's attention. He ran after Foxface and that's when I go out of my hiding spot. I realized that the supplies are covered with mines. I take a deep breath and I realized how I could destroy the supplies. I take an arrow from my quiver and shot it at a bag of apples. It missed by a couple of yards. My lack of practice has really taken a toll on me. I take another arrow and shot it again, this time cutting the small net by a small slit. I take my third arrow and shot it. The explosion ringed through my ears, sending me back and I see district three boy coming back. I look at the air to see two smokes. Where's the third? Was I too early?

With my still damaged ear, I set off to look for Rue. I whistled the signal and the mockingjay's repeated it, seeing the unlit third fire. I move even farther from the set until I heard an ear-splitting scream.

"Katniss! Katniss!" Rue screamed and I ran to her. "She got stuck on a snare," I think as I ran towards the scream. I only got in time to see the boy from ten impale her with his spear.

Without a second thought, I grab an arrow and shot him to the heart. He falls down with a large thud and a cannon goes off. He's dead. I hear a soft sob in the corner.

Rue.

* * *

**(A/N): Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it!**

** Guys, I have a favor to ask from you. Please! I'm practically begging you to do this. Please read my new story in my profile! Please :) It's from Lorien Legacies. You see, me and my friend made a bet about it. Please help me out.**

**Please follow me on tumblr! Taploid1597. Just add the dot tumblr dot com part. Please follow me :) I have an original story that I'm going to post there :)**

**Next update's the feast. :)**

**REVIEW PLEASE :)**

**-Lee**


	12. AUTHOR'S NOTE

Sorry for the author's note.

Just had to tell you. All my stories will be discontinued for the time being.

One because I'm super busy.. Sorry.

Second because I'm working on a 'school project' of an original story of my class. I've been working on it and I want to finish it by the time I finish this year. It's kind of a vague story so I really need to focus on that.

Third because I've been tired a lot lately.

Fourth because I haven't been on my laptop a lot because of business.

Fifth because I've ran out of inspiration. Out of like two-hundred to three-hundred views, only like 6 reviews. I've been having a feeling that you're getting sick of my stories. It's really discouraging.

Sixth because none of you really read my author's note.

It's really saddening...

Sorry for the author's note, and I'm really sorry.

As of now, all stories are currently DISCONTINUED for the time being, or until I find the inspiration to continue my fanfics.

-Lee


	13. Chapter 12

**(A/N):SORRY! Double posted!**

**Okay, so I replaced the past author's note for this one. I'm posting it again, at the end of this chapter.**

**I got some free time because there's a four day week-end due to some holidays in my country. This is a pretty short chapter though... I still don't have enough inspiration. I just wanted to update this already. I know I haven't updated other stories too, but I don't have a drive to help me finish this...**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Katniss POV**

I move to the sound of the sobs to see Rue. I remove the spear gingerly from her abdomen and settled her head on my lap. I cradle her in my arms while hearing the loud footsteps which could only be owner by Peeta. I hear his footsteps as it breaks some twigs, and hits the ground with thuds, and settles beside me. He cradles me in his arms as Rue parted her lips to speak.

"Did you blow up the food?" She said with a small voice that breaks my heart.

"Yes, yes I did," I say in a voice which lets my barriers down. Peeta gently wipes the tears that are falling from my eyes and I look at Rue. I don't bother to tell her that she's going to be okay. She's smart enough to know that she won't make it.

"You have to win," she whispers to me and I break down. I nod to her and she shakes her head. "No, you have to promise,"

"I promise, Rue," I tell her as she parted her mouth.

"Could you do me one last favour?" She asks me.

"Anything," I tell her and she smiles.

"Sing to me," She tells them and it takes me aback. I haven't sung in years. But I'll do it, if that's her last request. I clear my throat and parted my lips to sing the starting note of a song I've known ever since I was five years old.

"Deep in the meadow, under the willow

A bed of grass, a soft green pillow

Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes

And when again they open, the sun will rise.

Here it's safe, here it's warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you.

Deep in the meadow, hidden far away

A cloak of leaves, A moonbeam ray, Forget your woes and let your troubles lay

And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.

Here it's safe, here it's warm

Here the daisies guard you from every harm

Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true

Here is the place where I love you."

I see the light in Rue's eyes fade as I finish the last note of my song. I sob quietly while Peeta comforts me, patting my back. The cannon sounds, and just like that, Rue's dead.

"We need to go, Katniss," he tells me gently but I refuse to.

"She doesn't deserve this, Peeta," I tell him. "Give me a few minutes. Rue needs a better send-off," I inform him and he nods.

I walk past him to a bush of wildflowers. I show them to Peeta and he nods in understanding. Slowly and carefully, we decorate Rue's body to cover the gaping hole and the blood that was left by the spear. When I'm satisfied with our work, I kiss her forehead goodbye, and walk away. I take her and the boy's pack, knowing she would want me to take it for she has no use for it anymore. Before I leave, I turn around, place three fingers on my lips, and show it; a sign of respect in my district.

"Let's go," Peeta tells gently and I follow. We are walking past every vine, root, and low branch when we heard a small sound of a dropping sponsor gift. I turn my attention to my back, and see a sponsor gift.

"Bread," I whisper quietly at the bread. I looked at the note that came with it. 'Thank you for taking care of Rue -S,' it said.

"It's District Eleven bread. See the sesame seeds on top of it," I nod in agreement with Peeta's words. I nod and we left the place, and letting the hovercraft take Rue's body.

...

Rue's dead.

These two words keep resounding in my head even as I sit down on the corner of the cave, watching as the anthem shows the boy from ten, and then Rue. I contain the sobs that threaten to spill and I drink a glass of water.

"We're running out of food. We need to hunt," I say, getting up, away from the small embers that maintain my heat in the cold atmosphere of the arena.

"Not now, Kat," Peeta tells me and grabs my hand. I look to his blue eyes and nod.

"Fine," I say. "But tomorrow, we hunt," I continue and went inside a sleeping bag. After I see the emanating shadows of the flickering embers disappear, I feel an entity enter the sleeping bag and put me in his arms. I turn to Peeta, and snuggled into him. As I fell asleep, he kissed my forehead goodnight and hugged me tighter, in preparation for the cold night.

* * *

I move past a tree in the forest, aiming for a squirrel I have found. My feet gently glide along the forest, making no noise, as I let go of the arrow and it impales the squirrel, right in the eye.

"Nice," Peeta exclaims and I nod. I go over to the squirrel and let go of it to Peeta. He nods and places it in his bag. "C'mon, let's go," he tells me and I nod in agreement. That has been the fifth squirrel I have found, since early this morning. "Give me a few minutes. I'll cook it. Don't go wandering off," he tells me and I nod.

My feet move to a tree where I see some fruit up above. I climb in the tree, wanting to grab some fruits, and I grab one. I smile at my success, that is until I hear a branch crack, and I fade out.

* * *

**Haymitch POV**

My line of vision sees the fall of Katniss and as she fades.

"Katniss! Katniss!" Peeta exclaimed, seeing Katniss' body from the fall. He brought her quickly to the cave, as Katniss was unconscious. No cannon sounded, but it wouldn't take a genius to find out that Katniss is broken.

"Peeta," Katniss mumbles weakly and opens her eyes, her grey eyes boring into Peeta's blue ones.

"What were you thinking Katniss!" Peeta demanded and settled her down on the soft sleeping bag. Blood started sputtering out of her leg and Peeta sees it and gasps. An arrow impaled itself on her leg due to her two story drop.

I look at her foot to see that it's poisoned. With pus already emerging from her wound, I could say that this is not good.

"Oh no, this is not good," I mutter under my breath and took a drink of my Vodka. I lick the taste in my lips and I look at the sponsor panel. It's not enough for a cure. It's like everything we needed desperately has gone up; arrows, food, medicine, everything. They all increased. This could only mean one thing. When all prices increase, it wouldn't take a genius to know that the gamemakers are planning a feast.

...

My suspicions of a feast were answered when a Capitol attendant went over to my control panel and peeked through my door.

"Mister Abernathy, anything in particular that your tributes need? Anything," He says with a ridiculous Capitol accent and I nod.

"Blood poisoning and flesh cream," I tell him and his eyes widen.

"You have any idea how expensive that is?" He tells me and I nod.

"You told me anything," I retort as he nods his head in understanding.

I turn my attention back to the screen to see the announcement being announced.

...

"Attention to all remaining tributes, there will be a feast this morning. It will not be an ordinary feast. All of you need something, and that will be there in the morning. Think twice before you refuse it. This may be your last chance," The sound of Claudius Templesmith's voice resounded in the arena and Katniss' eyes widen, not only because of the announcement but also due to the fact that the pain in her leg is excruciating.

"You're not going," She tells him, immediately.

"I'm not," Peeta tells her nonchalantly. But there is a brief moment in his eyes, when he couldn't look into hers long enough for her to believe him.

"You're an amazing liar, Peeta Mellark, but you can't lie to me," She tells him seriously and his eyes knotted.

"That's your medicine, Katniss. You're going to need it," he retorts while she shakes her head. "You can't expect me to watch you here to die," he says in barely a whisper.

"I won't, as long as you don't go," Katniss informs him and he nods.

"I'm going to check on the stew," he tells her and she nods.

I can't believe that girl is putting up with suffering. I know that the boy is not exactly the strongest guy, but he'll be strong enough to get out of the feast. Without a second thought, I press the button for sleep syrup. He seems to understand what I'm getting at, and he places it in some left over berries.

"Here. Eat this while the soups cooking," He tells her and she complies. She seems to understand the sleep syrup a little too late and is not able to vomit the syrup. She lies down as Peeta lays her down.

"I'm sorry, Katniss. I'll be back, promise," he tells, and kisses Katniss' sleeping form and takes off.

...

Peeta takes off, avoiding every obstruction he has passed in the arena, and before dawn, he arrives at a spot and camouflages himself. When he closes his eyes, I'm amazed for I see nothing. I hear a slight beep to my side and I look at it. The sponsor money has been increasing from the kiss he gave her. This kid's good. He knows his stuff.

A table pops up out of nowhere and with it, some bags with different numbers. He sees the one with twelve and wields his knife. He goes out, but notices the girl from five go out and grab her bag, running off.

Peeta runs off and grabs the bag, sharply avoiding the knife of Clove and get's tackled by Clove.

"What's in the bag? Medicine for the girl?" She tells him and he nods. "I'm going to dissect you part by part. Just like we would have done with that girl from eleven. What was her name? Rue?" She asks him mockingly and Peeta spits at her face. "Feisty one, is he? Not even strong enough to get rid of a girl on top of him,"

Just when she was going to slit Peeta's lips, she was carried by Thresh, the boy from eleven.

"What did you do to Rue! You killed her?" He demanded of her and she trembles in fear, with her feet not touching the ground.

"No no. It wasn't me. It wasn't... Cato!" Clove started to shriek just as Thresh took out a rock and slams it into her head. She bleeds profusely as Peeta's glued on the spot.

"Why'd she say something about Rue to you?" He demanded Peeta. Threshs poised his spear to attack Peeta until he parted his lips to speak.

"We were her ally. We blew up the food, but the boy from ten got to her before we did and he killed her," he says truthfully as Thresh seems to fight a debate in his head.

"I'm letting you go. Just this once. For Rue," he tells him and took the bag from. Peeta seems to understand this and ran with the bag.

He walked fast, careful not to faint due to the excessive bleeding on his forehead. He moves through the forest quickly and when he got to the cave, he applied the salve generously on Katniss leg, and lied down, unconscious.

* * *

**(A/N): Thanks for reading! Guys, please review, maybe I could find inspiration from one of it. **

**I love you guys, but I'm sorry but I really couldn't update until I lose my inspiration block as I call it.**

**Hope you enjoyed it and please review! :)**

**I won't be able to update in a few.**

**One because I'm super busy.. Sorry.**

**Second because I'm working on a 'school project' of an original story of my class. I've been working on it and I want to finish it by the time I finish this year. It's kind of a vague story so I really need to focus on that.**

**Third because I've been tired a lot lately.**

**Fourth because I haven't been on my laptop a lot because of business.**

**Fifth because I've ran out of inspiration. Out of like two-hundred to three-hundred views, only like 6 reviews. I've been having a feeling that you're getting sick of my stories. It's really discouraging.**

**Sixth because none of you really read my author's note.**

**It's really saddening...**

**Sorry for the long author's note, and I'm really sorry.**

**Please visit my profile! Please follow me on tumblr XD**

**Please read my other fanfic. It's a three-shot :) s/8419463/1/The_Shadows_of_Their_Eyes**

**As of now, all stories are currently DISCONTINUED for the time being, or until I find the inspiration to continue my fanfics.**

**To those who will review, please do it maybe last chap? or chap 1! Sorry :(**

**-Lee**


	14. Chapter 13

**(A/N): Hi guys! I'm sorry for not uploading for... uhh... a long time =). I've been really busy , but hey it payed off. I'm really happy with my grade in school. I got 93.3 in average =) Yippee! I didn't make the top but I wasn't really aiming for it XD  
**

**This is a try at a 'new' writing style for me, so I hope you guys like it. :)**

**Thank you for all your amazing reviews! :)**

**Read and enjoy! **

* * *

**Recap: Peeta came to the feast and was wounded.**

A bird flutters out of sight as Katniss stops her sprint to try and catch it. She sighs deeply and sits down. She takes a deep breath and takes in her surroundings. The trees are suddenly covered in snow. Funny. Katniss thought. I thought it was summer. Katniss sees a few squirrels walk past her as she takes in her surroundings. She relaxes a bit until she hears a loud shriek.

"Katniss!" The voice of Prim resounds in Katniss' ear and she is immediately on her heels. She listens for the origin of the voice but she does not find it. It is like the sound of the forest is echoing though there's no reason for it to. She frowns and parts her lips.

"Prim!" She shouts trying to make sense of her surroundings. The shrieks of Prim stops and Katniss tenses even more. Katniss knows that if she stops screaming, it means that Prim would've been gone.

Her eyes knot in confusion as she does not give up her search for her little sister whom she loves so much. She's walking through the forest, avoiding each root that she passes but she doesn't find her sister. She backs up to a tree and collapses. Until she sees a lock of blond hair passes by a shrub.

She stands up immediately and goes over to the source of the blond hair, for it is very unusual to find such clean colour in the forest which is filled with brown trees and green pastures.

"Katniss?" Katniss hears as she sees the source of the sound, and is surprised to see Peeta wearing his baking clothes. But there's something wrong, he's bloody and bruised, like an animal ravaged him.

"Peeta," Katniss mutters and yelps under her breath and heads over to him, as fast as she could. Her eyes knot in frustration due to the sight of blood on the man she has loved for at least five years. She runs over to him but something's wrong. He doesn't seem to be coming nearer. She's getting further and further away from him. "Peeta!" She yells and runs over, but her attempt was for naught.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Cato. She yelps as he runs over to the already battered Peeta. He gets to him faster than Katniss could and he raises his sword.

"No!" Katniss yells and tears are starting to flow out of her tear ducts. She tries to look for a bow, anything, to help her distract Cato, but she finds nothing.

"Any last words?" Cato smirks and holds Peeta by the collar of his shirt. Peeta is helpless and sends a silent plead to Katniss to help him.

"Please no!" Katniss yells at him and tries to run. Peeta shakes his head and closes his eyes. Katniss trains her eyes on Peeta who's dangling from the collar. Peeta mouths a few words and Katniss knows exactly what he's saying.

"I love you," Peeta muttered before the sword is pierced into his neck by Cato.

...

...

...

Katniss wakes up in a cold sweat. She feels the cool feel of gel on her foot and she her eyes widens for she sees no more blood seeping through it. Katniss only knows one explanation for this. "Peeta," She mutters and vaguely remembers the feast being announced. She closes her eyes for her head throbs from the sleep syrup. She then remembers eating the syrup and face palms herself. "I'm such an idiot," she says to herself and shakes her head.

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a stray blond figure, with blood seeping through his head. "Peeta," Katniss gasps and crawls over to him. Even with the dirty blood and dark light, Katniss can't help but want to go over to him and kiss him. She does, however, pace herself and she helps him on his back.

"Katniss," Peeta moans lightly but he's not yet fully unconscious. She pecks him on the part of his forehead with no blood and starts to work.

"I can do this," she tells herself and takes a deep breath. She takes gauze from her pack and starts to unroll it, but something stops her. She vaguely remembers a reminder from Prim to always clean out the wound before you add the gauze to avoid any infection. She remembers this clearly and places Peeta's head on the small backpack. She slings the bow and arrow around her and she walks to a source of water.

She notches and arrow on her bow, just in case, and when the coast is clear she took some water from the small pond. She sees a small frog as she places back the container into her pack. The frog stares at her intently and it does what Katniss did not expect. It's eyes turned blood red and jumped to her.

"Mutts," Katniss mutters under her breath and avoids the frog. She dodges the tongue of the frog which she somehow knows that it is poisonous. She dodges it and lets an arrow go free. She takes a deep breath as the frog stays there, lifeless. She takes the arrow from the frog and places it back to her quiver. But before she places it back, she cleans it. That's when sounds of croaks start to resound in her ears.

...

...

...

The red hair of Felicity is seen through the brown and green of the forest. She moves swiftly and she is surprised to see the girl from twelve facing a dozen of angry looking frogs. She frowns as she decides whether she should help the girl. What was her name? Katnip? Batniss? She debates inside her head as she decides to help her.

She's decided this earlier. She realized that her life was hard. She's lived in an orphanage her whole life and she has never had a real family. She also knows that there's no way she could win. She only knows that this girl deserved to win. And even if she did win, she's heard the rumours of how Rey, the victor from district five, turned to drinking after saying that he still sees the people he has killed. She hasn't killed anyone, but she knows that she will never forget them. She won't forget the face of Clove, or Marvel, or even Glimmer. There will always be a place in her brain for those people, much to her dismay.

She decided after the feast the she'll be intent on making this girl win. She still has her doubts, but she knows that this girl deserves to live out of the twenty-four. She knew from the moment she saw her face, that this girl is a fighter. She won't give up. Felicity really admires that and so, she chooses to help her win this, even if it meant her death.

"My death's inevitable anyway," she mutters to herself and grasps her knife. She hears the first scream as Katniss's sleeve was caught by one. In some way, she was able to kill at least ten of them, leaving only two. Felicity wonders as to how she was able to kill the ten only to see the ten frogs which were impaled.

She immediately ran to the source of the tongue piercing Katniss's sleeve and jumps from her position. The frog releases its tongue a little too late, for within a few seconds, it's dead. She removes the knife from the body and feels a sharp sting on the small of her back, which was exposed for some reason. She looks to it and sees the tongue of the frog impaling itself on her back.

After a few seconds, it stops. She looks at the frog to see it now impaled, and she smiles for the first time in awhile. She then falls on her knees and she would have fallen face-first, but Katniss caught her.

She coughs out blood as she's met with a pair of gray eyes. She manages a smile but it immediately falters for she feels a sharp sting getting numb. Actually, she feels as if her entire body has gone numb.

"Why did you help me?" Katniss asks her.

"I have no other reason to win. I have no one," she says. For some reason, Felicity feels that she could trust this girl. "Besides, no one deserves to win more than... more than you," she manages to say until she falls in Katniss's arm, unconscious.

"Thank you. No one can hurt you now," Katniss says and she places Felicity on her back as the cannon resounded.

Katniss never really knew her. They weren't friends. She doubts that she even truly knows her. But she knows, that she will always remember the sea-green eyes of Felicity, the tribute of district five.

...

...

...

Haymitch watches as Katniss cleans out the blood from her arrows and places it back in her quiver.

"That's some kid you have there," Haymitch hears behind him and is surprised to see Rey, the past victor of district five.

"I've heard," Haymitch says absentmindedly and he takes a sip from his flask.

"I'd like to thank your kid. You see, Felicity has a few sponsors and I'd like to make a gift of it to you," Rey tells him and Haymitch faces him.

"How?" Haymitch asks. Rey gestures for the flask and parts his lips to speak.

"Can I have a taste of that?" He tells Haymitch and the flask is passed to him. He tastes the drink and immediately tastes Tequila. He passes it back to Haymitch and eyes him. "I'd like to transfer the funds of Felicity to her,"

"Why?" Haymitch asks suspiciously. It's not every day that a past victor would want to give help.

"Felicity would've wanted that," he tells Haymitch and fiddles with the sponsor tab. After a few minutes, the tab showed the amount of money which increased by at least ten percent.

"Thank you," Haymitch mutters and turns his attention back to the screen to see Katniss fixing Peeta's head up with gauze.

"Don't mention it," Rey mutters and leaves the room without another word, leaving Haymitch to his thoughts.

...

...

...

Peeta winces quietly as Katniss applies the bandages on his head. Katniss can't wait to yell at him for how stupid he is. When the bandages are done, Katniss parts her lips to speak. When she was about to release a note, she is kissed by Peeta full on the lips.

This kiss wasn't like any other. This had passion, love, need. It's like a pile of emotions being released in one sitting. Peeta holds Katniss tightly and kisses her all over. Suddenly, Katniss couldn't find the right words to yell at him.

Peeta kisses her collarbone and he kisses Katniss again on the lips. He captures her lips with such ferocity and lays her back on the small makeshift cot. He stops kissing her and looks at her straight in the eyes.

Katniss's heart is beating a thousand times faster all of a sudden as her gray orbs are met by Peeta's blue ones. She pecks him on the lips and he smiles.

"I'm so sorry," Peeta mutters and kisses Katniss, who breaks it off fast.

"You have no reason to say sorry," She says and cups his face. She kisses it lightly and Peeta lies down beside her. He slides his arm under Katniss and holds her close to him. He pecks her on her forehead as he hears a stomach rumble. Katniss breaks out in laughter and gets off of Peeta.

She grabs Foxface's pack and gives it to Peeta. Inside, Peeta was surprised to see a gourmet of food inside. Lamb stew on wild rice. Baked potatoes with porcini mushroom and gravy. Steak on a bed of baked beans. Everything, in small portions is inside.

"This girl got some sponsors," Katniss says and sits next to Peeta.

"She didn't have much, I bet. She's too quiet. This was the pack at the feast," Peeta says and hands Katniss some lamb stew but takes it back.

"What? Give me some," Katniss says and tries to reach but Peeta stops her. He smiles mischievously and stares at Katniss's eyes.

"I've wanted to do this for a long time," he says and takes Katniss's hand. "Will you go on a dinner date with me?" Peeta asks her and Katniss lets out a howl of laughter.

"Here?" She asks and Peeta nods. "Sure," She says and is handed the lamb stew.

That night, they ate dinner together. Until they heard the sound of a cannon.

...

...

...

**(A/N): There you have it :) Watcha' think? =)**

**And to those BBM users there, add me. 29EBE19B. Don't worry, I don't bite. =)**

**Please add me just to know that you guys still follow this. I know it's stupid, but you know... =)**

**Please review!**

**-Lee**


	15. Chapter 14

**(A/N): Hi! It's been awhile. I know I posted a version of this chapter a few days ago, but I didn't think that it was satisfactory so I re-edited it. Here 'ya go. Enjoy :)**

* * *

Why is it that when everything seems fine, the world will suddenly turn on you? In my school back in district twelve, they taught us about an old religion called Buddhism. One of their beliefs stated that life has suffering due to attachment.  
I'm actually starting to believe in that.  
Just when the two are about to give a passionate kiss, the cannon fires? Why? It's so stupid! I look at the other mentors and I see Seeder frowning. Meanwhile, Chaff is drinking his Black Label, no doubt to ease the pain. It wouldn't take a smart man to know that their tribute just died.  
Thresh. The man who saved little Rue from being whipped when they were young.  
Chaff walks over to my location and pats my back. "You have good kids there," Chaff tells me. I nod in agreement. "Too bad they can't go five minutes sucking each others faces," I stifle a laugh and he sits crossly on a chair.  
"Can I have a sip of that,". It's not really a question. He hands it over to me and let the liquid stay in my mouth, savoring the taste. I bring it down and I feel lightheaded immediately.  
"You're you losing your touch Abernathy," he jokes. I didn't even notice that I was leaning.  
"My tributes need a one-to-one correspondence. They need attention, unlike yours," I release a deep breath.  
"Mine grew up in a farm. Yours grew up in a dump," I don't even dare to contradict his statement because it's true. They don't allow people to work in the mines 'til they are 18 thus causing them to have no experience with any kind of weapon.  
"Don't provoke him Chaff," Seeder says taking seat. "Congratulations to your tributes," she tells me.  
"They haven't won. Not yet anyway," I say nonchalantly.  
"They might as well have," she says as if it's a real and undebatable fact.  
"What do you mean?" Her words intrigued me to the point where I want to pay attention. What does she mean by they might as well have?  
"Don't you listen to the news? The capitol citizens have grown to attached to the tributes. They don't want the two to die. They want to see how the two play out," she says immediately.  
"I don't really pay attention to the news because I'm actually mentoring alone. And what do you mean play out?" I ask her, raising my eyebrow slightly.  
"The audience has grown to your kids. They don't want them to die,"  
"That's impossible. If they see the blood of the kids on the floor, they'll get over it. What you were saying as grown to the kids, they're only preparing them for slaughter,"  
"They won't. If they kill those kids, there'll be anarchy,"  
"That's impossible," I enunciate each syllable. "That's never happened before. Never, in the history of the games,"  
"That's because they've never had someone to root for," she tells me and I hear the footsteps leave. Her words leave me hanging and I frugally look at her direction. But, unfortunately, she has gone. Where she went? I have no clue. Instinctively, I pay attention to my tribute screen. As if on cue, they stand up and gather their belongings.  
"We need to hunt and get water. We're almost out," Katniss said to lover boy as she handed him a knife. He nods in her direction and they trekked for a little while. They were about to separate when sweetheart changes her mind.  
"Wait! We can't separate! What if Cato gets to us?" She half shouts and half whispers to Peeta.  
"He won't. He won't go anywhere he doesn't know," he says confidently and kisses Katniss' cheek.  
"You sure?"  
"Very," he replies and gives her a small smile.  
"Okay," she mutters and they head off; Katniss hunting with her bow, while bread boy forages for food.  
They hunt for four uneventful hours until they got tired and went back to their cave. Katniss was about to light a fire when bread boy stopped him.  
"Don't. It'll tell Cato where we are," Katniss gives him a knowing smirk and speaks.  
"No. You told me yourself. He won't go anywhere that he doesn't know," She says. My thoughts exactly. The boy nods but refuses to let her.  
"Peeta, we'll starve," Katniss gives her a weak smile until the boy gave in.  
I check the other monitor to see Cato doing nothing but sharpening his blade in the cornucopia. He seems too into sharpening his blade to move anywhere at all.  
I building in me stops my sight and I yawn. It must have been awhile since I've slept. Come to think of it, I haven't slept at all. I decide to sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow's going to be a long day.

* * *

I stew the rabbit that I caught awhile ago. A small rustle alerts my senses and I immediately grab my bow and arrow and lodged it. I hear loud footsteps and I see Peeta. When he sees me aiming my bow, he raises his hands in surrender. I immediately drop it.

"I'm not a Cato," he shouts and we laugh.  
"Sorry. Instincts," I say and he goes beside me, looking at what I'm cooking. From here, I can feel warmth from him.  
'Knock it off, Katniss,' I say to myself. 'Now's not the time'  
"What are you cooking?" He asks me.  
"Rabbit stew. But I don't think it's any good," I tell him honestly.  
"It's fine, Katniss," he chuckles. "We can eat good food when we get outta here," he smiles.  
I turn back to my food and see that it's done.  
We eat our meal in silence until Peeta speaks.  
"Can you tell me a story?" He says with those big blue eyes, and I initially reject, but I can't help but to tell him. Unfortunately, I have to censor my story as to not get in trouble with the Capitol.  
"One time, I got home from my- job," I say, barely censoring hunting. "I was tired and lying on the couch when Prim walks up to me, holding something orange. We didn't really have money for something to have that color. Most of our things are actually either gray, white, or black. So I looked. It was the ugliest cat in the world," I say and took a bite from my stew.  
"Then?" He asked.  
"Then. She asked if we could keep. At first I said no. It wasn't that I didn't want the cat. Well, I did, but that's not the main reason. It was because it'll just need to be fed," I say. "But Prim didn't give up. She kept on forcing me. Lucky for her, I went down with the fever and I accidentally said yes," he laughed at the story until I gave a short glare.  
"I just can't imagine you to get sick. You're tougher than that," he laughs and I roll my eyes.  
"Anyway, when I remembered what I said, I tried to take it back. Then Prim went on and on about honouring your word so we got stuck with an orange mangy mutt," I say and we laugh.  
I wonder what district 12 is thinking about this. Not only is it crazy that a town boy and a seam girl are talking, but it's that two kids might make it live to see district 12 again after being taken away from it. I wonder what my mother, Prim and the others think about it. I wonder what Gale. Gale. I feel like a bad best friend to not have even thought of him during my games when I have thought of so many people whilst in the arena.  
"What's wrong?" Peeta asks, knocking me out of my daze.  
"Nothing. I'm just tired," I give him a weak smile as the temperature is suddenly rocketing.  
"Well you better sleep. We need to be at our best tomorrow," Peeta manages a small smile and he fixes a sleeping bag. "It's a bit small, but I think we'll fit," he says.  
"Why not just one?" I raise an eyebrow at his direction.  
"You don't really want to be alone when it's cold won't you?" He gives a smile and I join him feeling the warmth immediately

* * *

I woke up in a cold sweat. My head throbbing from the small drink I've had with Chaff. Nightmares again.  
I've never had a nightmare that was that bad. Not that I remember my other nightmares, but I remember people like Larissa, Joseph, and my mother in it.  
Larissa was the district two girl that nearly chopped my head off in my games. She was going off chopping different body parts. She already chopped my lips and nose away. She was about to chop my eyes off when I woke up.  
24 years later and I still remembered the way her green beady eyes were calculating all of the tributes at the start of the games.  
I look at the mentor screen and it shows that my two tributes are already snoring their noses off.  
Well, Peeta was snoring, loudly actually. I can see the animals go away from that perimeter in fear of facing a monster. Katniss was drooling a waterfall. They must've had some day.  
The clock on the wall tells me that it's a quarter past 8 in the morning. It's approximately a few more hours before the moment of truth.  
Katniss turns in her sleep and wakes up. She rubs her eyes and stands up from her position. 'It's about time' I tell myself, inwardly.  
Soon, Peeta is also waking from his slumber. The work in silence, fixing their food, sharpening their weapons, being flirty to one another which in return gave me more sponsor money to spend on them.  
Their trip to the cornucopia is silent. There is no sound created but the crickets and birds that are chirping away in the evergreen forest. The tall ebony trees give them shade as they trudge through the slightly muddy land below the canopy of the forest. There are small streaks of sunlight that pass through the uncovered area of the trees. There is a slight smell of pine needles and mildew in the air. How I can tell, I don't know. But based on my experiences, I can tell that there are surrounding pine trees in the area.  
Meanwhile, Cato is struggling to ration his food, which I can see from another screen. He's not in the cornucopia, but a there was a huge golden color that was behind him, which means that he's near the cornucopia.  
The next few hours pass on without any form of event, not even a small exchange between Peeta and Katniss could be heard. I can tell that the audience is getting bored. It won't be awhile before the gamemakers do something about it.  
I'm thinking of what to give them before the gamemakers do something but none cross my mind.  
However, before nightfall, they reach the cornucopia. They scan the place and they see Cato. Right after they hear a deep and guttering growl behind them.

* * *

We heard the growl right before it happened. Loud footsteps, not coming from Peeta, emanated from our back. I give a slight look back and I see a mutt with blue eyes and blonde fur. The realization kicks in as Peeta dragged me away from it. The mutt was Glimmer, the bloated blonde would've-been-sex-figure-for-the-capitol was staring at us awhile ago.  
We run to the cornucopia, no longer hearing the noise. Instead, we hear Cato's scream. He was yards away, clutching a spear. I let an arrow loose to strike his heart but when it impacted, nothing happened. It flew off.  
I clutched my knife, preparing for a fight. It doesn't come. Instead, he runs right past us. He was running away from something, not running to us.  
What was he running from? Was it a mutt?  
My suspicions are answered when I see it. A pair of brown hair and eyes are running towards us. One was huge and another was petite. My eyes widen. It's Rue and Thresh, the tributes from district eleven.  
We run to the cornucopia and take refuge in it. Peeta barely makes it to the top when I'm yanked away and trapped in a headlock. The cold feel of flesh burns my skin and I try to maneuver out of it.  
I feel the hands leave my head and I regain my composure. I hear clanking noise beneath me and I know that the mutts are chewing and scratching at the base, trying to climb up and kill the unlucky soul.  
I regain my sight of the two grappling and I see Cato trying to push Peeta off the ledge. I run to try and grab him off. I jump behind him and yank his hair. He falls on his back, his weight bearing on me. I push him off of me, and he elbows my stomach.  
I grunt, feeling the pain on my stomach and I see Peeta having a round two with Cato. He punches Peeta squarely to the jaw and Peeta winces. Peeta throws a left hook and Cato dodges, striking him below the belt. Peeta closes his eyes in pain. Just as Cato pushes Peeta, I jump to his back, wielding a knife, and stabs his back, just below the kidney. He shouts in pain and throws me off of him.  
I hear more clanking on top which means that they're fighting yet again. That's when I saw it. A silver glint from the golden cornucopia. Amidst the blood and gold, I see the silver bow. I grab the bow and arrow immediately aims it at Cato's heart.  
He holds Peeta by the neck while I'm aiming at his heart. He cackles and I glare at him. Normally, people would cringe at my glare, but not him.  
"It seems that we have reached an impasse," he says, smirking slightly. I intensify my glare. "Go on. Shoot me and we both go down. We both die. I'm dead anyway. Just one more kill. You'll kill your boyfriend. You can't kill what's already dead, twelve," he says the 'boyfriend' part in a joking manner but I know that he's dead serious.  
I'm stuck. What'll I do? I look at the two boys. Peeta, who is barely being able to breathe from the loss of air, is red from loss of air. He lightly brings up his finger and makes an 'x' on the hand.  
I nod slightly. I let go of the notch and it lands behind the hand of Cato. He screams as Peeta pushes him off through the edge of the cornucopia.

* * *

My eyes linger on the screen, taking in what just happened. Cato falls off the cornucopia and gets attacked by the mutts below. Katniss and Peeta hold each other because of the loud screams of pain emanating from the district two brute.  
This lasts a few more hours. I can clearly see Enobaria and Brutus regretting of giving him a body armor. Instead of a quick death of an arrow to the heart, they made him go through hours of being gnawed and chewed.  
The screams become louder while my tributes both get up. The scream is toned down and the chewing of the mutts is louder.  
I immediately drink some tequila to try to tone it down. I immediately feel lightheaded and I hear one scream from Cato.  
"Please!" He begged from lover girl and lover boy.  
Katniss lodges her arrow, and sends it through his skull. The cannon sound and the mutts retreat.  
The night falls fast and the first rays of sun is detected. They immediately hug each other and some liplocking is seen.  
"We win," they whisper to each other, forehead to forehead. However, Claudius Templesmith's voice resounds the arena.  
"Congratulations! The victors of the seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark,"

* * *

**(A/N): Any questions? Leave a review or PM me. No. I did not make a mistake at the end. :)**

**Next update is... temperamental.**

**REVIEW!**

**-Lee**


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